


The Ones Before Us

by dreaming_up_aces



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-07-25
Updated: 2018-04-17
Packaged: 2018-07-26 14:16:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 17
Words: 28,974
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7577299
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dreaming_up_aces/pseuds/dreaming_up_aces
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Adrien saves a woman during an akuma battle and unlocks an entire chapter of the miraculous' past - including their last two users. Ladybug and Chat Noir now get mentors to learn from, and events from the past might scare the two of them away from their miraculous forever.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Woman Who Knows Everything

Adrien saw what was happening before Ladybug did. They were fighting an akuma, and a woman was riding straight into the fray on a motorcycle. She was going to be attacked by the crossfire, so with a swift swing of his baton, he threw himself into her path and rerouted her motorcycle away from the battle. The bike skid out, thankfully unharmed, and Adrien caught the blonde woman as she fell.

“I didn’t need help, pretty boy,” the woman said as Adrien set her down and righted her motorcycle. “I’ve seen a few battles in my time. I can handle myself.”

“Just doing my job, ma’am,” Adrien said, tipping an invisible hat to the blonde woman. She looked like she was in her late twenties, and she was wearing dark skinny jeans and combat boots. Over her shoulders hung a well fitting leather jacket, and underneath was an olive green tee shirt. The woman’s skin was tan and covered with freckles, and her dark blonde hair hung in a high ponytail.

“Nice white ring, by the way,” she said, winking at him before climbing back on her motorcycle and riding off. Adrien stared after her, knowing that his ring was black when he was Chat Noir, and knowing that the woman knew something. Adrien’s eyes focused on the smoke from the bike’s tailpipe as it disappeared into the Paris air.

“Hey, chaton, mind helping a bit?” Ladybug yelled, swinging by Adrien on her yoyo. He snapped back to attention, turning back to the akuma battle at hand. He and Ladybug defeated the villain with little effort, pounding their fists together as the white butterfly floated free. His partner helped the victim up, making sure they were okay, then disappeared into the sky as a streak of red spandex.

_ Who was that woman? _ Adrien wondered about who she was the rest of the day, even through a photoshoot and a small dinner. Ladybug clearly hadn’t seen the woman - she had been too busy with the akuma battle - but as Chat Noir, Adrien’s miraculous was black. It was only white when Plagg was free of the ring, when it wasn’t activated. So how did the blonde woman know how it looked unactivated?

“What’s got your panties in a twist?” Plagg asked Adrien, munching on a chunk of camembert and sitting on the boy’s bedside table.

“That woman I saw during the akuma attack. She knew that my ring was white. Does she know who I am? I didn’t know her, Plagg. How could she have known about the ring?” Adrien was twisting the miraculous around his finger, half wanting to take it off. He was nervous about this woman. If she figured it out, who else knew? Kids in his class? His father? Hawkmoth himself?

“Blonde? Combat boots? Bit of a badass?” Plagg asked. Adrien nodded. “Oh, that’s Sophie. She was Chat Noir about eleven years ago.”

“What? I thought the miraculous hadn’t been wielded in a very long time!”

“Eleven years is a long time for humans, at least,” Plagg said with a shrug. “She runs a garage now. Fixes cars and motorcycles for fun. Good kid.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?!” Adrien asked the little kwami.

“It wasn’t important. It still isn’t. Forget it,” Plagg said, dropping the rest of the stinky cheese into his mouth.

“Plagg! What’s her last name?” Adrien asked, dropping down at his computer and opening a search tab. His kwami thought for a minute, his small green eyes full of deep thought. It was the most time the kwami had spent on a single thing in the three years Adrien had known him.

“Delacroix,” Plagg said, sounding bored. Adrien typed the woman’s name into the search bar and hit enter.  _ Sophie Delacroix. _ A Facebook page came up, and it was full of selfies of the blonde woman, Sophie, and another woman that Adrien didn’t recognize. She had shoulder length dark hair and glasses, and she seemed to be in a wheelchair. Adrien was sure that the blonde was the Sophie he was looking for - the same woman who had talked to at the attack.

Quickly, Adrien composed a message to the woman, Sophie Dellacroix. It said that she was online, so he knew she should get his message almost instantly.

**It’s Chat Noir. What do you know?** Adrien hit send, waiting for a response. He stared at the screen in anticipation, twisting his ring and waiting for the little dots to appear in the bottom of the chat box. When they finally appeared, Adrien could feel himself holding his breath in anticipation.

**Everything.** The message was only one word, but it hit Adrien like a blow to the chest. Adrien gulped as Sophie sent another message.  **Meet me at my garage.** There was an address underneath it, which Adrien quickly committed to memory. One more message blipped onto the screen.  **Now.**

With that message, Adrien stood up and looked at the small black kwami who was lounging on the bedside table. Plagg groaned.

“Plagg, claws out!” Adrien said. The small cat-like creature sighed heavily as he was sucked into the miraculous, transforming Adrien into Chat Noir. He slipped out the window of his room and went to meet Sophie Delacroix, the woman who claimed to know everything.


	2. Introductions

Adrien landed outside the garage, detransforming and letting Plagg hide in his shirt. Loud rock music was blaring from the open garage door, and Adrien could see the motorcycle that Sophie had been riding earlier. She was fussing over it like it was a baby, her blonde ponytail bobbing to the beat of the music. Adrien stepped inside, and Sophie turned her head.

"Uh, hi, I'm Chat Noir," Adrien started, extending his hand. Sophie ignored it, clucking her tongue.

"I don't care if you're the damn President of America! You chipped the paint on my bike!" Sophie said, a sharp edge to her voice. "And now, you need to pay me back."

"Excuse me? I saved your life," Adrien said, confused. The song playing through the garage changed, and Sophie turned to a stereo, turning the volume down.

"I didn't need your help. I've handled plenty of battles. What I need is payment for my paint!" Sophie pointed a finger at the bike. Her nails were cut short, and the black nail polish on them was chipping. "Look what your careless action did!"

A door opened in the back of the garage, and a woman in a wheelchair wheeled into the garage. She was wearing a long red dress and a white sweater. Her shoulder length, bob-style hair was combed neatly away from her face, and she smiled when she saw Sophie. Unlike the standing woman, she seemed to be a lot more forgiving.

"Everything okay, Sophie?" The woman rolled to a stop next to the bike, careful not to touch it with her wheelchair. Sophie turned her green eyes down towards the woman, softening with a smile when she saw her face.

"Of course, baby. Chat, meet Audrey. Audrey, meet Chat Noir." Sophie pointed between them, and Adrien was a little horrified at the casual introduction. Sophie cackled a little bit, pushing Adrien forward. "It's okay. She used to be Ladybug. And I used to be Chat Noir."

Adrien cautiously shook Audrey's hand, his sunshine smile turning on. Plagg shot out of his shirt, zipping over to Sophie. They exchanged a handshake, something out of a teenage movie. Plagg laughed, flying through Sophie's long hair a few times.

"Plagg, my dude, how ya been?" Sophie asked, plucking the kwami from her hair and looking at him. Plagg shrugged.

"I'm stuck with this loser, how do you think?" Plagg asked jokingly, pointing a stubby paw towards Adrien. Sophie laughed. Adrien tried to recognize the music playing in the background of the shop. It had a good beat, but he had never heard music like it before.

"Look, you don't have to pay me," Sophie said to Adrien. "Why don't you just come work here? I can train you, you can learn about bikes, and your work will pay me for the paint." Adrien bit the inside of his cheek, thinking. "Come on, kitty, you can't be scared of a little hard labor."

"Only Ladybug can call me kitty," Adrien said. " _My_ Ladybug," he specified, looking at Audrey. She shrugged, a small smile on her face. "Fine. I'll work for you." Sophie clapped, a bright yet wicked smile coming to her face.

"Good! Lesson one. Do not ever touch my bike. I will happily murder you." Adrien gulped, nodding. "Good."

* * *

"Tikki, don't you think there are old miraculous holders still in the city?" Mari asked, tapping her fingers on the desk. Tikki floated in front of her, chewing on a cookie.

"There's only one that I can think of," Tikki answered when she had swallowed. "Audrey Bellerose. She lives with her girlfriend. I'm sure you could find her on the internet. Did you want to meet her?"

"Yeah, I think it'd be good to meet someone who had experience with the miraculous before me." Marinette looked at Tikki, whose big purple eyes were even wider than usual. "Someone human, I mean," she said with a laugh. "What was her name again?" Marinette listened as Tikki spelled it out, searching it online. She came up with a Facebook page.

Tikki landed on Mari's shoulder as she looked through the pictures on Audrey's page. There were quite a few selfies with a blonde woman that Marinette didn't recognize. Well, she didn't recognize either of the women, but the blonde reminded her a bit of Adrien. Tikki took another bite of her cookie, accidentally spilling crumbs on Marinette's shoulder. Audrey seemed to be in a wheelchair, and seemed to be very artistic. There were plenty of pictures of her with various instruments, from a guitar to a flute.

"Is this her?" Marinette asked, looking over at Tikki. The little red kwami nodded vigorously, her bulbous head moving forward and back. "This girl used to be a Ladybug?"

"Before the accident, yes," Tikki answered. "But that's not really my story to tell. Why don't you message her?" Marinette nodded, opening a chat box with the girl.

 **Hi, this is going to seem a little weird, but I have something that used to be yours.** Marinette clicked enter, sending the message. She waited impatiently for a reply, tapping her fingers against the desk. Marinette stole one of the cookies, chewing as the little typing bubble appeared.

 **What would that be, Miss Dupain-Cheng?** Audrey's reply read. Marinette flew back to typing.

 **A pair of earrings? They're red and spotted.** Marinette hit send. The response was almost immediate.

 **Meet me here in twenty minutes.** Audrey sent another message, with an address, and Marinette smiled. Tikki's whole face lit up, and she practically soared into Marinette's bag. Marinette walked out of the bakery, kissing her parents on the cheek before going to meet the woman. Nervous energy ran through her veins, but she held it down with a smile and practically ran to the meeting place.

 


	3. Time for Work

Marinette was a little out of breath when she reached the address, but after years of being Ladybug, she was used to it. The address was a car garage, which confused Marinette a little bit, but she was curious enough to not care. After she caught her breath, she stood and walked into the door. Loud music was bouncing around the concrete, and Mari could see a blonde woman and a tall, blonde boy looking at a motorcycle parked in the middle.

"Excuse me?" Marinette shouted, her hands cupped around her mouth. Somehow, she must have cut through the noise, because both the woman and the boy turned. Marinette couldn't hide her gasp. The woman turned down the music, but the boy had already stepped halfway to Marinette. "Adrien? What are you doing here?"

"I..um..." Adrien scratched the back of his neck, blushing a little and looking around the shop. "I work here?" The blonde woman came up behind him, smacking him on the back as if they were old friends. Marinette's head was becoming cloudy with confusion.

"Adrien here is learning some tricks of the trade," the blonde woman. "I'm Sophie. Can I help you with something?" Marinette tore her eyes from Adrien, looking at the blonde woman. She was pretty, with medium shade blonde hair and freckles covering her cheeks. Her green eyes were darker than Adrien's, but just as piercing. Her outfit made her look like a badass, but she didn't have a bad sense of fashion. Marinette smiled nervously.

"I'm here to see...Audrey? Audrey Bellerose?" Mari asked. Sophie smiled.

"Here, follow me. She doesn't work here, but I know where you can find her. What did you say your name was?"

"Um...Marinette. Dupain-Cheng," Mari answered. "If this is a bad time, I can come back..."

"No, no, it's fine! She's probably just in the back, practicing." Sophie led Marinette through the garage, into a door near the back that opened into a good sized apartment. "She and I live here. I'm assuming you're here because of those pretty little stones on your ears." Marinette's hand flew to her ears, covering her miraculous. Sophie laughed. "Audrey! You have a visitor!"

A woman came out from the back, someone Marinette recognized from the Facebook page. She was in a wheelchair, a long red dress brushing against her legs. A white sweater was wrapped around her shoulders, and she seemed very soft and small in the wheelchair. Audrey's face lit up when she saw Marinette's earrings, a large smile coming to her face. Her plush pink lips stretched into a smile.

"Marinette, yes? It's good to meet you. I'm Audrey Bellerose," the woman said, extending her hand. Mari took it, shaking it gently. "You must be Ladybug."

"Uh...y-yes," Marinette said, glancing at Sophie. Audrey's smile widened.

"Clearly, you know that I used to be Ladybug. Sophie here used to be Chat Noir." Sophie waggled her eyebrows at Marinette, a wicked grin on her face. She had straight white teeth that gleamed when she smiled. Marinette smiled nervously back. "You don't have to worry. Your secret is safe with us. The boy outside won't know."

Sophie gave a confused glance to Audrey, who glared back with hard eyes. Marinette could see their silent conversation, but she couldn't understand it. Mari watched silently, deciding it would be useless to try to understand their language. Instead, she waited until the conversation seemed to be over. Sophie sighed and walked back out to the garage area, redoing her ponytail as if it had come loose in an invisible, silent screaming match.

Audrey smiled at Marinette, wheeling over to a chair and patting it. Mari took it as her cue to sit, so she sat next to Audrey and looked at the woman. She was pretty, with short black hair and a very pretty figure, even in the chair. Marinette wondered if she had been paralyzed for her whole life or just for part. Although, if she had been paralyzed since birth, it would have been very hard for her to be Ladybug. Audrey seemed to be working something out in her head, so Marinette stayed quiet until the other woman chose to speak.

"You and Chat Noir will begin training here next week. Sophie will train you in physical combat and working with your miraculous. I will train you on the mental side of working with your miraculous. You will show up in full gear, miraculouses activated, and your identities will remain private until you choose to reveal yourselves. You both will also be working with a master of miraculous - Master Fu. I'm not sure that you've met him, but you will soon know him very well. He also weilds a miraculous."

Marinette's eyebrows shot up. "Wait, is he a very short older Chinese man?" Audrey nodded. "I have met him! He helped Tikki when she wasn't feeling very well!" Tikki shot up out of Marinette's bag, zipping up to Audrey.

"Oh, Audrey, it's so good to see you! You haven't changed a bit!" Tikki snuggled up with Audrey, making her laugh. "It's true, Mari took me to Master Fu! It was good to see him, too!"

Audrey smiled at the little kwami, holding her in her dainty pale hands. She talked quietly to Tikki, and Marinette tried to tune out the conversation. When they were done, Tikki flew back next to Marinette and sat on the arm of the chair.

"Marinette Dupain-Cheng, you are already an amazing Ladybug. Sophie and I can train you to become even better. I'll see you in a week, okay?" Audrey said, and although it was phrased like a question, Marinette could tell that it really wasn't.

"Okay," Mari answered, smiling and standing. "I'll excuse myself. I have homework and all," she said quietly. Audrey nodded, leading her to the door. Marinette walked out through the shop, keeping her head down. Adrien tried to talk to her, but Mari kept her head down as she walked past. She had met Adrien when they were fifteen, and three years later, she was still as nervous as she had been from the moment they met. Mari had found it was just easier to keep her head down and hide the blush that came to her cheeks whenever Adrien Agreste was around.

* * *

Adrien watched as the other woman, Audrey, wheeled herself out into the shop area. Sophie turned down the music, and Adrien wiped his greasy hands on a rag that was next to them. Sophie was teaching him how to work on bikes and cars, and at the moment, they were doing a quick check-up on her own bike. Working on something with his hands made Adrien feel closer to the real him, the person that he was when he was Chat Noir.

"Adrien, you and Ladybug will be training with your miraculous here starting next week. Sophie will train you in the physical side of working with your miraculous, while I will be training you on the mental side of the miraculous. We will also be getting help from the person who gave you your miraculous - Master Fu. You may or may not have met him, or realized that you have met him. You'll get to know him soon enough, though," Audrey said, businesslike and somehow still kind.

"Does this mean I won't be working here anymore?" Adrien asked. He had barely started, but he was already starting to feel a sense of belonging in the garage. Sophie shook her head.

"No, you still owe me for that paint. And plus, something tells me that you don't particularly want to be at home. You can stay and work here as long as you like," Sophie answered. Something in the way that Sophie said it made Adrien think that maybe she hadn't liked being at her house at her age, either.

"Okay," Adrien said. Audrey nodded with a smile.

"I'm going to head back to the house and practice some more. Read a little. Do something productive. Chat Noir, I'll see you next week. Full gear, remember that." Audrey smiled and headed back inside, closing the door behind her. Sophie watched her for a moment, clearly in love. When the door was closed, she turned back to Adrien.

"Back to work, Agreste!" Sophie said, turning the music back on. Adrien turned back to the bike, a small smile on his face.

 


	4. Training Start!

Marinette landed outside the car garage, covered in red Spandex. Today was the first day of physical training with Sophie, which meant that she would be getting to see both Adrien and Chat Noir - Chat while they trained and Adrien while he worked in the garage upstairs. Briefly, Marinette wondered why Adrien had gotten a job at the car garage when he was already rich and a model, but the thought left as she walked inside.

Sophie's loud, guitar heavy music filled the garage. Marinette smiled. The music reminded her a bit of Jagged Stone's music, but she could tell that it was in English. The music, although rock and roll, was comforting, too. Sophie waved at her, walking away from a bike she was polishing.

"Ladybug, good to see you! I'll have to take you down to the training area as soon as Chat Noir gets here," Sophie explained. "It's hidden. Wouldn't want anyone normal getting at it, if you know what I mean." Marinette didn't, but she smiled as if she did.

"Strange question, Sophie, but where's Adrien? I thought he worked here," Marinette asked, brushing away her bangs. He was always so nervous around her as Ladybug, but at the same time, she could tell he liked her more as a superhero.

"Oh, he does," Sophie said, pulling her hair back. She had a black leather jacket thrown over an olive green tank top, with dark skinny jeans tucked into combat boots. Quite honestly, she looked like a badass. "He has the day off."

"Oh," Marinette said, a little disappointed. Before she could dwell on it, though, she heard the familiar thump of Chat Noir's feet on the ground behind her. Sophie welcomed him, going back into the living area of the garage to get Audrey.

"It's good to see you, my lady," Chat Noir said, bowing. Marinette rolled her eyes. "I'm glad to see I won't be fighting for your attention today," he joked. Before Marinette could sling a witty comeback, Sophie came back out, Audrey rolling behind her.

"Come along, heroes of Paris. Your training awaits," Audrey said, leading them to a back area of the garage. She pressed a button that was about eye-level for her, which opened a set of doors into a rather large circular elevator. Audrey rolled on first, Sophie following close behind. Marinette walked on, hearing Chat's footsteps behind her.

The doors of the elevator slid closed, and Sophie pressed a button on the wall. The elevator jerked to motion, and before Marinette could even think to react, she and Chat Noir were thrown to the ground by the sheer speed of the elevator. Sophie and Audrey were having a normal conversation, laughing a bit at the hero's reactions.

Marinette felt her stomach lurch with motion sickness, and she let her eyes slide over to her partner. Even though his eyes were the same acid green as they always were, the rest of him was starting to take on a greenish shade. Finally, after what seemed like years, the elevator stopped with a sudden and gut wrenching lurch. The doors slid open, and both of Paris' heroes groaned at the bright flourescent light.

"How long was that?" Marinette heard her partner ask. His voice sounded more like a groan than anything else.

"About thirty seconds," Sophie answered. "Come on, asses up. It's training time." Marinette groaned, pulling herself off the ground. She and Chat Noir stumbled out of the elevator, followed by Audrey. The woman in red gave them an apologetic smile.

"Sorry for the lack of warning. Sophie likes drama," Audrey said simply.

"It's okay," Marinette said. She still felt like her stomach was spinning, and Chat didn't look much better. She could hear him mumbling some cursewords as he walked slowly towards the training mat. It was a large area, slightly padded, but not much, and as far as she could tell, there were no weapons nearby.

"Heroes, hand your weapons to Audrey. She'll take good care of them. First, you will show me what you each have in hand-to-hand combat. As in, you will fight each other. Then, I will train you. Afterwards, you may have your weapons back."

Marinette and Chat Noir handed over their weapons, and Audrey set them on a table next to her. There was a fancy sound system set up on the table, and Audrey pressed a button. Cellos and violins filled the air, but they weren't calm music. They were angry and harsh, but also beautiful. An almost opposite, but sister, to the music Sophie played upstairs.

"Let the music direct your fight," Sophie instructed. Marinette closed her eyes. She felt Chat Noir step closer, his breath on her face. It smelled fresh, minty almost, as if he had prepared to see her. It was probably a coincidence.

"I don't want to fight you, bugaboo," Chat Noir said quietly. Marinette opened her eyes, staring at the acidic green of Chat's. He looked playful and flirtatious. The song increased in volume.  _Bugaboo._ Why did he have to take everything as a joke? It wasn't funny. Marinette pulled back a little, balling her hand in a fist and striking Chat across the face.

Chat Noir looked surprised, but he smiled the way he always did when he was flirting with her. Somehow, this time it had just a tad bit more of an edge. "Oh, it's on, my lady."

* * *

Adrien stared at Ladybug, circling her. She was locked in a defensive position, turning around as he turned so that she could face him at all times. His lady, the girl he loved, had just hit him. Okay. That was something that had happened, but she was also told to by a former miraculous weilder. He coudln't blame her. But he could strike back.

"Kitty, are you scared?" Ladybug taunted. Adrien grinned.

"Not a bit," he answered, lunging for her. She blocked his hit, grabbing his wrist and spinning him. He landed on his feet, using her as leverage and using the pulse of the music to his advantage. Ladybug hit at him, but he deflected it and spun her away from him. Already dizzy from the elevator trip, she fell to her knees, catching her breath.

"Foul play, chaton!" Ladybug cried. Adrien walked over, extending a hand to help her stand. Ladybug looked up at him, taking it and starting to pull herself up. When she had the leverage, she pulled him to the ground, kicking him in the stomach to keep him down. Ladybug stood, a smile on her face and in her blue eyes.

"That was unfair!" Adrien said, holding his stomach. He pushed himself up a little, hurt mostly by the elevator ride. The kick in his stomach had only added to the pain. He could see that Ladybug was affected too, and he turned to Sophie. "We're not fighting each other right now. Your hellevator threw us both off our game."

Audrey turned off the music, and Ladybug extended a hand to help him up. Adrien took it, grateful.

"You have a point. It's good that you two know your limits. Why don't we go upstairs and do something a little different?" Sophie said. Audrey handed them back their weapons. Adrien smiled at the suggestion and the familiar feeling of his baton in his hands. Audrey opened the elevator, the four of them piling back in. The moment Audrey pressed the button to go up, Ladybug and Adrien were thrown against the ceiling.

When the ride was over, the two heroes dropped like rocks to the floor of the elevator. Thankfully, they both avoided hitting Sophie and Audrey, although Ladybug's yoyo slid from her hip a little and managed to hit Adrien in the head. He rubbed the spot that it hit, glaring at her for a moment. If she could have, he knew Ladybug would have shrugged, but they were both feeling too miserable from the elevator rides.

Audrey led both Adrien and Ladybug to a couch, which they settled on. Adrien wanted to detransform, but he knew Ladybug wouldn't be comfortable with that. She had made it clear that they should keep their identities a secret on multiple occasions. Sophie and Audrey disappeared into another area of the house, presumably to discuss the heroes or possibly get some water or ginger tea. Adrien sighed, pulling his baton from behind his back and setting his head back on the couch.

"Motion sickness?" Ladybug asked, pulling her knees to her chest. Adrien nodded, his eyes closed.

"You know, LB, this would be a lot more comfortable in civilian clothes," he said. Ladybug didn't respond, and Adrien swallowed. "Sorry."

"You know it's important to keep our identities secret," Ladybug responded quietly. Adrien slid his eyes over to her. She looked small and nervous. The way she was acting reminded him of his classmate, Marinette. Marinette was always really nervous around him - sometimes she couldn't even string a sentence together.

"Is it though? Why is it so important that we keep our civilian lives a secret?" Adrien asked. Ladybug swallowed thickly - Adrien could see it in her throat.

"It just is," Ladybug answered. Sophie and Audrey came back into the room, carrying a tray of tea.

"Ginger tea. For the nausea," Audrey explained with a kind smile. Adrien gratefully took the tea, taking a long drink. Ladybug took the tea, holding it in her hands and staring into the cup. She took a few small sips, a small smile on her face. Sophie settled on the ground next to Audrey's chair, leaning her temple against the armrest of the chair. They each had a tea, too, although Adrien had a feeling it was just because the tea was there to drink.

"So, tell us about yourselves," Sophie said, taking a drink of her tea.

* * *

Marinette gulped. She busied herself with a long drink of the tea, keeping her eyes away from both Chat and the previous miraculous weilders. When neither of them answered, Sophie spoke again.

"Clearly, you two are keeping things secret. Which is completely your choice. It's a stupid-ass choice, but it's yours to make. Just realize that some things are out of your control." Audrey and Sophie looked at each other knowingly. "But that's fine. Let's tell you about Master Fu, then, instead."

"Master Fu?" Chat Noir asked. Marinette uncurled, the tea settling her stomach. She sat attentive, staring at both Audrey and Sophie as they explained.

"He's the one who gave you your miraculous," Audrey explained. "Although you probably didn't realize what was going on when he made the decision to hand them out. They're based on quite a few things, but mostly on what Fu thought you needed in your life and your personality. Your good-natured personalities."

"He also can heal kwami," Sophie said. "Ladybug, I believe you told Audrey that your kwami was sick at one time and directed you to Master Fu? And at some point, I believe you gave him a book?"

Marinette saw Chat Noir choke on his tea out of the corner of her eye.

"A book?" her partner asked, coughing and taking another cautious drink.

"Yes, a book about the miraculous. Although, you probably didn't talk to him much after handing it over." Marinette nodded. "He's a small man, older looking, usually in a Hawaiian shirt. You'll both probably recognize him when you come back for training on Friday," Sophie explained.

"Okay," Marinette said. Chat Noir was still struggling, but Mari wasn't quite sure what had made him choke. The book? But that had been Adrien's book, that Lila had thrown away all those years ago. Marinette had saved it from the trash, taken it where Tikki had said it rightfully belonged. That had been after the Volpina battle, back when she was only fifteen. Three whole years ago, almost four. Why had it affected Chat Noir so much?

"When you've finished your tea, the both of you are free to go home," Audrey said. "Sorry again about the elevator. I really should have warned you." Sophie smiled, wicked light dancing in her eyes.

"That's the difference between Audrey and I," she said. "I'm not sorry at all."

* * *

Adrien landed in his room and detransformed, facing Plagg. The little kwami looked a lot less surprised and shocked than Adrien did, floating casually over to some camenbert and chowing down.

"Ladybug had the book? The book I thought I lost? The book that I've been watching out for for the last three years? Ladybug found it and gave it to another miraculous user and never told me? What the hell?!" Adrien said, mostly to Plagg, but also a little to himself.

"She didn't know it was yours, kid," Plagg answered around a slice of cheese.

"But she did! She knew it was mine, as Adrien! Well, I mean, she'd assume. But where did she find it? I lost it... I don't know where I lost it! And why wouldn't she tell me? I'm her partner!"

Plagg rolled his green eyes and continued to eat the cheese, ignoring Adrien's rantings. Adrien laid back on the bed, turning his head to look at the valentine Ladybug had written him all those years ago. The valentine he had kept - anonymous, unsigned, but he was sure that it was from Ladybug. She had answered his poem with one of her own. That had to mean something.

Adrien's little kwami watched on, knowingly thinking about the miraculous weilder that Adrien seemed to be in love with. Plagg could always sense his other half, Tikki, even if they were apart. Even if the humans chose to keep things a secret. Tikki had been living in the same place for the last three years, almost four. Adrien had even been there, both as Chat and himself.

"You humans are idiots," Plagg mumbled, eating another slice of cheese.

* * *

In Marinette's room, Tikki could sense Plagg, far off. Marinette had been where Plagg lived. The two little kwamis, halves of a whole, could always sense each other. It was a skill. The two were made for each other, and so was any miraculous user who weilded them. Tikki looked down at her toes, floating in front of her.

"I know, Plagg. I know," she said quietly, wishing her other half could hear her.

 

 

 

 


	5. You Don't Want to Know

Sophie's loud American rock was shaking the concrete of the garage. Adrien felt it vibrate through him as he worked, using a small brush to finish the detailed paint on Sophie's motorcycle. The tall, muscular woman was watching him from across the room, drinking a Coke and making sure he was doing everything correctly.

Adrien finished what he was doing as Sophie's steel toed boots moved across the concrete to behind him. Adrien set down the paintbrush, knowing that he had insisted on doing the work by hand. Sophie grunted in an approving manner, crouching down to inspect it.

"Good job, Agreste," she said in her alto voice. "I have an idea."

"An idea?"

"Yeah," Sophie said. "Why don't you make yourself a motorcycle? I found it helpful back when I was in battle."

"I have my baton to move around," Adrien said, looking at Sophie.

"That's not what I mean," Sophie said. "Just, think about it." A loud crash interrupted them, and both whipped their heads around to look at the battle happening outside. Another akuma had been unleashed on Paris. Sophie grinned in her wicked way, her green eyes glinting. Honestly, Adrien thought that she might as well be his older sister, they looked so similar. Or his mother. The thought hurt, but he pushed it aside.

"Plagg, claws out!" Adrien transformed and raced outside of the garage, straight into battle.

* * *

Marinette careened into battle, her yoyo carrying her right next to Chat Noir. An akuma was flying around, turning people into his own army, muttering to Hawkmoth as he did so. With a sideways glance to her partner, Marinette moved into action almost immediately. They were only a few blocks away from the garage, and for some reason, Mari could feel eyes on her back as she fought and worked.

"They're watching us," Chat said as he ran past, headfirst into the battle. Marinette nodded, her eyes flitting back to confirm. Audrey and Sophie were watching from just inside the garage, both with smiles and an air of judgement drifting around them.

Within a few minutes, the partners had the akuma cornered, and Marinette pulled the item that held the little butterfly off. She broke it, capturing the akuma and purifying it. The civilian was helped, the heroes having saved the day again.

"Bug out!" Mari called, throwing her yoyo so she could go home to detransform and continue her homework. Before she could fly off though, Chat Noir caught her wrist.

"Wait, bugaboo," he said quietly. "I have to ask you something."

"What is it, chaton?" Marinette asked, tugging on her yoyo. As she flew away, she felt Chat's grip tighten on her wrist. They soared through the sky until they landed on a roof. Marinette put her yoyo away and looked at her partner's green eyes, hidden in the black mask.

"Don't you think that now, since we know Sophie and Audrey, we should tell each other who we are?"

"No," Marinette answered quickly. "Just because they know who we are doesn't mean we should. It could ruin things."

"Things?" Chat Noir asked, his hidden eyebrows raising.

"How well we work together could change if we knew who we were. It could make things harder. Keeping our own identities a secret is hard enough, why should we have to keep each other's secrets, too?"

"I could keep any secret you had, my lady," Chat Noir said, walking closer to Marinette. She pushed him back a little.

"I like my secrets as they are, thank you, chaton," Marinette said. She tossed her yoyo in the direction of her house, zooming away and detransforming before Chat Noir could catch up. No way was he trying to get her to reveal herself again, not after three years of accepting it. Everything could go wrong if they did that. What if he was someone terrible? What if he was someone wonderful?

If the two revealed themselves, nothing would be the same. The way things were had worked for almost four years. The way things were had been enough for almost four years. Nothing had been a problem. Sure, at the beginning, Chat Noir had been desperate to learn her name. But eventually, he had learned. Did he really think things had changed just because the two had met some past miraculous holders?

Marinette sighed, getting a plate of cookies for herself and Tikki before continuing on her homework. It was her last year in school before college. She knew that she had to do well. Marinette went back to her work, her mind still on her partner.

* * *

Adrien detransformed once he was safely back inside the garage, his shoulders drooping. Audrey was sitting in the garage, drinking some iced chai tea. For a moment, Adrien wondered where she had even gotten the drink, but he decided it wasn't worth his curiosity.

"She rejected you, didn't she?" Audrey asked. "You wanted to know her name. She let you down again. Am I wrong?"

"No," Adrien said, leaning against a wall. His hands were shaking a little, mostly from anger and disappointment. After all this time, how could Ladybug not trust him with something as simple as her name?

"You could always tell her who you are," Audrey suggested, rolling closer to Adrien. Adrien shook his head.

"She doesn't want to know. She says everything would be harder if we knew who the other was."

"Maybe it would be," Audrey said. "For a while, when Sophie and I first figured it out, we both found it harder. It was harder to realize who the other was. It was harder to think of each other as the same people. But we figured it out. I think it was harder, after we knew, to keep the people seperate."

"But..." Adrien stared at his shaking hands. It never happened when he was Chat Noir. It never happened when he was free. But the moment he was back as the model, Adrien Agreste, he was scared it would all be taken away. "I want to know. I want to know her. And not just as my partner. I want to know her as a person."

"Eventually, it'll happen," Audrey said. "Secrets can't be secret forever. Something will happen and you will have to tell each other who you are. Maybe it'll be an accident. Maybe it'll be a late-night confession or a rushed, battle-fueled word. But eventually, you'll figure out who each other are."

"Are you sure?" Adrien asked. Audrey reached out, taking one of his shaking hands. It was a motherly gesture, something that Adrien hadn't had since he was thirteen.

His mother had died, leaving his father and him behind. A grand accident, his father had said. Adrien had always wondered if maybe it hadn't been an accident, that maybe his mother hadn't been able to take much more of Gabriel's lack of being there. Adrien could remember his mother, her bright smile and blue eyes that were so unlike his own green eyes. But was she happy? Maybe she had killed herself, thought there was only one way out of the spotlight. Adrien had kept himself away from her death, both by choice and by his father's command. It wasn't uncommon for Adrien to think about following in her footsteps. But as Chat, he was happy. Ecstatic.

Audrey squeezed Adrien's hand and smiled, pulling him out of his trance. "Of course I'm sure, Adrien. Come on, let's get you some tea. You did very well in that fight."

"You think?" he asked, laughing a little and letting Audrey lead the way back to their little apartment attatched to the garage. It was cozy and small, and even though he had only been inside a few times, it was already starting to feel a bit like home.

"Silly kitty, I used to fight like that. I don't  _think._ I know."

* * *

Marinette laid in bed that night, her little kwami swimming in the air in front of her.

"Tikki, would it really be that bad if Chat Noir and I told each other who we are?" she asked. The kwami stopped, just floating in the air, and shrugged.

"There would be complications. It would make things harder. But in the past, quite a few Ladybugs and Chat Noirs have known the other's identities. It makes things easier when one is defeated. It makes things easier to pass on the miraculous and it makes you work better as a team."

"But what if it just makes things harder? It's hard enough to keep my own identity a secret, having to handle another might be too much," Marinette threw back.

"I'm sure you would do fine, Marinette," Tikki answered. "But it might make you feel better to know who your partner is."

"What if he doesn't like me?" Mari asked, chewing on her fingernail.

"Marinette, you're wasting your time on what-if's. You'll never get anywhere with those. When it happens, it happens. There's not much you can do about it."

"When?!" Marinette asked frantically. Tikki nodded knowingly.

"Things like this always happen." Marinette bit her lip and transformed, even though it was Chat Noir's patrol night. As Ladybug, she flew across the Paris night, hoping to work her thoughts out of her mind.

Chat Noir must have spotted her red streak soaring through the sky, because soon enough he was next to her, his baton bouncing silently on the ground far below them.

"My lady, what's wrong? Tonight isn't your night to patrol," he said. Marinette glanced over, noticing that even though he was perfectly balanced on his baton, his hands were shaking a little bit, as if he were cold.

"I should be asking you the same thing," Marinette said. The two landed on a roof, and as his baton contracted, Marinette could clearly see the shaking of Chat's hands.

"What's wrong?" they both asked at the same time, their eyes on each other's hands. They looked up at each other, their eyes meeting. Blue and green. Earth and sky, land and sea, harmony. "You don't want to know," they both said together, again. They closed their mouths and patrolled in silence, each plagued by their own thoughts. Marinette was both worried about Chat Noir and thinking about how he suddenly wanted to know, even after having let it go for three years.

She could only guess what Chat Noir was thinking about.

* * *

Adrien watched Ladybug quietly, wondering what she was thinking about. He wanted so desperately to know what was on her mind, what she did in her free time, what she wanted to be when she grew up. He wanted to know her name, what her home life was like, if she liked music or art. Adrien wondered if she was a fangirl and if she would freak out if she knew who he was.

He could only guess what Ladybug was thinking, though. And as tired and afraid as he was, he didn't want to ask.

 

 

 

 

 


	6. Around and Around

Marinette was visiting Audrey again, just as a civilian. Audrey was smart, liked to bake and play classical music, and she was good at keeping things calm. It was easy to do homework next to her, or sketch next to her, or do anything next to her. While Adrien worked out in the garage with Sophie, doing who knows what, Marinette spent more and more time with the past miraculous holder.

"So, Marinette, what are you planning on doing after you're done with school?" Audrey asked. "I know it must suck to be asked that, but I'm curious."

"Oh, well, I'm hoping to go to a fashion school. I design clothes, so I kind of want to be a designer," Marinette explained, blushing a little and covering her sketchbook. She had replaced the pages in her pink one over and over again to the point that she had a shoebox under her bed full of designs that didn't fit inside the book anymore. "Actually, I really want to be a designer."

"You've got the talent for it," a male voice said. Marinette turned redder as she turned to see Adrien walking into the apartment. His hands were covered in grease, and absentmindedly, he ran his fingers through his hair. Realizing what he had done, Adrien's eyes crinkled and he laughed.

"Thanks, Adrien," Marinette said. Even though it had been three years, she still got nervous and fidgety around Adrien Agreste. Maybe it was just that the anxiety had never gone away, or maybe it was because he had only gotten more attractive as he had aged. Either way, Marinette quickly looked away. "You might want to take a shower when you get home," she said quietly.

Adrien laughed again. "Yeah, I probably will. Got to keep the model in me happy." Marinette smiled down at her closed sketchbook, trying not to laugh. Adrien went and washed his hands, using the special grease soap Sophie kept by the sink. When he was done, he waved goodbye to the girls and walked out. Marinette let her shoulders fall a little, her breathing returning to normal.

"You need to ask the boy out," Sophie said, walking in the door that Adrien had just closed. "He needs something other than work and school. And his other...extracurricular activities."

"I'm sure he's too busy for a girlfriend," Marinette said, a bit too quickly. She had long ago accepted that her crush on Adrien would never go anywhere. She was insanely busy as Ladybug, but since that was all a secret, she kept quiet. "Adrien models, and works here, plus he's advanced in all his school work and is in fencing club and Chinese. He certainly doesn't have time for a girlfriend."

"Well I'm sure he'd make time," Sophie said, winking with her thick eyelashes at Marinette. Audrey rolled her eyes, patting Mari on the hand.

"Don't worry about Sophie," she said. "She just likes to make things complicated. She thinks everyone should get to be in a happy relationship." Sophie sent Audrey a glare that probably could have killed a man. It was the non-miraculous version of a cataclysm, but Audrey just smiled. "Marinette, you can take things in your own time."

Marinette smiled. Her phone beeped in her pocket, and Marinette pulled it out, realizing that dark was falling and that it was time for patrol. It was something that she and Chat Noir had started doing, being on watch for akumas, just in case. They usually never found anything, but it was good to be careful.

"Oh! I didn't realize it was so late," Marinette said, jumping up and clumsily gathering her homework. "Thanks for having me again, Audrey!" Marinette rushed out the door, keeping her head down as she ran home so she could transform. She almost didn't notice that Adrien was no longer in the garage.

Almost.

* * *

Adrien scanned the darkening sky, his night vision aiding him in his search for Ladybug. He still watched for her, still felt the familiar jolt of affection every time they spoke, but he had long ago learned to push it down. Adrien knew that he didn't have a chance with his masked partner. She had affection lying somewhere else, and he had given up a long time ago.

"Evening, chaton," Ladybug said, landing gently next to Adrien. He felt his shoulders stiffen for a moment, just from how close she was, but he relaxed and grinned at her.

"Good evening, my lady," he answered. "How are you on this fine evening? I'm doing pawsitively wonderful." Ladybug rolled her eyes, which Adrien took to mean he was doing something right.

"I'm fine, Chat," she said, a little coldly. "Let's just patrol, okay?" So that was what they did. Adrien was aching to ask Ladybug who she was under the mask. He was aching to detransform and tell her everything. But he didn't, instead opting to keep on patrol and keep silent. Things were easier this way. They had been working for almost four years. At this point, Adrien wasn't going to try to change it.

When patrol was almost over, Adrien broke. He tapped Ladybug lightly on the arm, signaling he wanted to talk to her. Ladybug turned, her blue eyes sparkling in the starlight. Damn it, Adrien was still just as smitten with her as he had been from the beginning.

"Yeah?" Ladybug asked. Her voice was a song. Adrien was head over heels, still, after all these years. Three, almost four years, and he was still falling.

"Uh, well, I know you don't want to reveal ourselves," Adrien said, scratching the back of his neck. "But we do both know Audrey and Sophie. They...they revealed themselves. Maybe we could ask them what made them reveal themselves?"

"I don't see why not, chaton," Ladybug said. "I've been kind of curious, too. We can ask after training next time, okay?"

"That sounds great, bugaboo," Adrien said. His heart was slamming against his ribcage, nerves racing through him. Oh, this was really happening. "Uh, I should head back. To where I live. Got important cat business to take care of."

"Just don't spoil your litterbox," Ladybug said. She was joking, but Adrien couldn't respond or even laugh as he soared away. Panic attack. This was how it felt to be terrified of the future. This could make or break them. This could destroy what they had, or build it up and finally reveal who Ladybug truly was. He could finally know the name of the girl he was in love with.

Adrien detransformed before his feet even hit the floor in his room. He sat down shakily, knowing that the next time they trained, he and Ladybug would get the whole story. The whole history.

Part of him was terrified. Part of him couldn't wait.

* * *

"Now that you two can handle the elevator, it's time to actually see your sparring ability," Sophie said. Marinette stood facing her partner. He looked nervous, but determined. A steely look existed in his acidic eyes. Marinette nodded at Sophie and Audrey, and Audrey started up the violent string music.

Chat Noir faced Marinette, dancing a bit to the beat. It wasn't so much of a dance, Marinette noticed, as his lanky body feeling the rhythm of the music. It was fight music. Marinette circled Chat Noir, her mind wandering from the fight almost immediately. Neither of them were particularly willing to throw the first punch.

Of course there had been times when Marinette had wondered who the boy wearing the mask was. She worked with him all the time, and yeah, it would be nice to know who he was. But also, Chat Noir was a mystery. He was a flirt, a headstrong hero who Marinette wasn't sure she liked all that much. She liked Adrien, careful, safe Adrien. The boy who had been the same since forever. But no matter who she liked, it was better that Chat Noir stay Chat Noir, no one else.

While Marinette was thinking, Chat Noir swung out, striking her against the jaw. Since she hadn't been paying attention, Marinette went down like a rag doll. The gasp from Sophie and Audrey was audible. Marinette could tell she would have a red mark when she got up. If she got up. Spots were swimming through her vision. Chat Noir had hit her hard.

"Ladybug, are you okay? I'm so sorry!" Mari could hear Chat Noir, and she felt a hand on her face. An accident. He hadn't meant to hit her that hard. Chat helped her up, and Audrey turned off the music.

"Okay, clearly the cat has some issue. Let's get the bug upstairs and figure out whatever the hell is going on," Sophie said, sending a glare at Chat Noir. He looked at the ground sheepishly. Marinette and the rest of them piled back into the elevator and headed back upstairs, this time the heroes of Paris more steady on their feet.

When they were upstairs, Audrey made Marinette some tea while Sophie pulled Chat Noir out into the garage. Marinette could only hear pieces of their conversation, but it mostly sounded like Sophie was chewing out Chat Noir.

"What...thinking?" Sophie shouted. "You could have...your partner!" Chat said something, but Mari couldn't make it out. "No, I don't...I don't give a damn, Ag..." There was some more garbled noises that Mari couldn't hear. "Get your ass back in there and apologize!"

"Hey, Ladybug," Chat Noir said sheepishly as he came back in, followed by a steaming Sophie. "I'm sorry I hit you that hard. Didn't mean to. Just...took it too far."

"It's fine," Marinette said, smiling kindly at her partner. He looked like Sophie had dragged him to hell and back by the tail. "It doesn't even hurt anymore."

Carefully, Chat Noir sat next to Mari on the couch. Audrey handed him a cup of tea, and Sophie sat down next to Audrey in a chair that she pulled up beside her.

"Sophie, Audrey, why did you two give up the miraculous?" Marinette asked. The two women looked at each other, their eyebrows raised.

"It's a long story," Sophie said. Marinette was suddenly dripping with curiosity.

"We have time," both the miraculous users said at the same time. Audrey and Sophie looked at each other again, seeming to come to a decision.

"Okay," Audrey said.

 

 


	7. The Story, Pt. 1

"I was fifteen when I got the ladybug miraculous," Audrey started. This was their history, the story of what had happened. "I had great parents, like the current Ladybug. They owned a bookshop. I was a musical prodigy, and my parents were spending a lot of money to send me to a fancy school where I could learn all about the violin and other musical instruments."

"I was not like that at all," Sophie said. "I was born in America. My mom was American, my father French. He owned a big company. When my mom died, when I was thirteen, my dad brought me back to Europe. He said anything American hurt too badly. I went to a boarding school. That's I met Jacques Stone. But he went by Jagged."

"Wait, you know Jagged Stone?" Adrien cut in, his eyes wide. Sophie smiled.

"Like his music? Yeah, I inspired maybe half of those love songs about the girl he could never have," Sophie answered with her wicked grin. Honestly, the woman looked like an evil cat. "Anyway, he and I got into a bunch of trouble and eventually I was expelled. So I ran off to France, knowing my dad was from here. Jagged helped me with some money, and I was a street kid."

"Sophie slept in the alleyway behind our bookstore. She was a raggedy kid, always stealing food."

"Audrey was nice and slipped me some. Back then, we worked with a team. We didn't know it at the time, though. Well, that the two of us were working in a team."

"Gabriel Agreste, Master Fu, Florence Petit, Enzo Dufor and the two of us were all miraculous weilders," Audrey explained. Adrien nearly choked on his tea. Florence had been his mother's name, and Petit was her surname. And Gabriel was his father, obviously. Audrey gave him a minute to collect himself before continuing. "Enzo and Gabriel were both in love with Florence. Florence used the peacock miraculous, Gabriel the moth, Enzo the fox, and Fu the turtle."

"We didn't fight a big bad like you two do," Sophie said. "We fought little crime. Patrolled. Helped police. Kept Paris safe. Enzo, Florence, and Gabriel were a few years older than us. Fu was much older."

"So are you saying that Gabriel Agreste, the fashion designer, is Hawkmoth?" Ladybug asked. Adrien almost stopped regretting punching her so hard in training earlier. His father, Hawkmoth? Sure, Adrien knew that his father was insanely apathetic and generally not a great person, but he wasn't evil.

"No," Audrey said. "Not at all. Let us tell the story."

* * *

Sophie was fifteen when she stole the sandwich from outside the chinese man's shop. He was maybe twenty or thirty, but possibly quite older. He looked like, at the oldest, he could have been maybe fifty. She had been stealing the food for maybe a week or two, but she always left a few cents or something useful in return. Trying to make up for what she was doing.

Sophie had been a street kid for almost a year. After the disaster that was boarding school, even with the musically talented Jagged at her side the whole time, Sophie had just ran as far as she could away from her dad. He was a controlling, crazy freak. Anything American reminded him too much of her mother, who had passed away. Cancer. Which meant that as an American, Sophie couldn't be in her dad's sight. Not like it mattered much.

As she opened the sandwich, Sophie found a little box inside. It was black, worn, with red paint on the top. What the hell? Sophie opened the box, seeing the ring inside. It was white, silver looking, but definitely white. Not exactly her style. She was more of a black, punk style. She stared at the ring, completely forgetting the food that her stomach was growling for.

The chinese man came out of the shop, a red Hawaiian shirt on. Sophie's attention was pulled upwards, towards him. She looked from him to the ring, then back to the man. He smiled, laugh lines appearing in the crinkles around his eyes.

"What the hell is this?" Sophie asked. There was an edge of anger in her raw, raspy voice. She couldn't remember the last time she had eaten something not from a trash can. Maybe she sounded like a hobo, but at least she wasn't like her father.

"It's a ring," the man said. "And an offer. I know you, Sophie Delacroix." Sophie gasped at the fact that the man knew her name. He laughed a little. "The ring is a promise. For the offer. I am Master Fu. You may call me Fu. I know that your father owns a large company in England, and I know that you ran away from a boarding school that you were about to be expelled from."

"How do you...?" Sophie started to ask, but Fu motioned with his hand, cutting her off.

"Do not question how I know. Only understand that I do. You live on the streets. I have a home, a place where you can stay while you finish school. And wear the ring. Those are my only conditions. Wear the ring, and finish your schooling at a school of my choosing."

"What if I don't?" Sophie asked. "I don't even know you! Why the hell should I trust you?"

"I know that every day you come by my store to steal food. I know that you always leave something behind, even if it's just meager pocket change or a piece of ribbon you've found. I know that you want to help your friend Stone back in England succeed, I know that you're quite interested in building things with motors, and I know that white is not your style. I know that acting tough is your act but that you are kind hearted. I know that you are an American."

"How do you know any of this?"

"If you take my deal, I will explain," Fu said. "But you must accept my deal first. Come inside, into private, and put on the ring. That is your acceptance."

"Um, okay," Sophie said. She abandoned the sandwich on the steps of the shop, following Fu inside. She went to the room he told her to go to, closing the door behind her. Sophie pulled the ring from the box, looking at it. It was definitely white, and somehow warm to the touch, almost as if the metal or stone was alive. Should she accept the offer?

It was a place to stay, a place to live, and an offer to go to school. Fu seemed nice enough, and he said he would explain. With her history, and how much Fu knew about her, Sophie was sure that he wouldn't go back on his word. She studied the ring, sure that she could see her reflection in the shiny surface.

Her green eyes stared back at her, acidic and full. Even the whites of her eyes seemed to be green as she gazed into the ring's surface, and she looked like a cat. The reflection of herself grinned, and Sophie could feel the muscles in her face do the same. With one motion, Sophie put the ring onto her finger.

* * *

Audrey was fifteen when she found a small box in her violin case. It was just sitting there, abandoned, after her violin lesson. No one else was in the music room, and the box was directly in the way when she went to put her instrument away. Audrey carefully moved the box out of the way and laid her violin in its case.

As she put the rest of the instrument away, careful with the bow and lid, Audrey found her eyes returning over and over again to the little box. It was black, with red paint on the top, and it looked worn and old. An antique of sorts. Audrey promised herself that she would open it when she got home, where she was alone.

Audrey walked home, her violin on her back, all the while thinking of the little box that was now in her skirt pocket. Audrey's mother had sewn the pockets into all of her skirts, mostly so that Audrey would stop losing small things. It was a kind gesture, and even though her mother was more schooled in books than sewing, they were perfect.

"Audrey! How did your lesson go, darling?" Audrey's mother asked when she walked in. Audrey smiled, hugging her mom.

"It was great! I'm so glad to be home, maman," Audrey answered. "I'm going upstairs to put my violin away. Say hello to papa for me!" Audrey's mother agreed, and Audrey double timed it upstairs, her feet stepping in four-four rhythm. Two, four, two, four, two, four. She got to her room in no time, placing her violin in its place and sitting on her bed.

Audrey's room was organized and neat, musical things decorating the walls and permeating every part of her living space. She was a prodigy, could play almost any instrument, and sang beautifully - a soprano by all means. But none of that mattered right now, because all that mattered was the ancient little box that sat in front of her on the dark pink bedspread.

Carefully, the way she always was, Audrey opened the box. Inside was a pair of red earrings, with five black spots on each of them. They were pretty, if not a little childish, but they were kind of her style. Audrey picked one of them up, surprised when it was warm in her hand.

"What even?" Audrey asked herself quietly. Nothing answered her, and she knew that this would take some investigation, but for now, she could wear the earrings. They were pretty enough, and they had been inside a box. Which meant they were probably clean.

Audrey pulled her pearl earrings from her piercings and set them on the bed in front of her, making sure they wouldn't roll away. Then, with slightly shaking hands, Audrey put on the new earrings. They were still warm when the metal rods passed through her ears, and as she put the backs on, she closed her eyes.

An abrupt knocking startled Audrey out of her reverie.

"Come in!" Audrey said, putting the pearl earrings into the little black box and closing it, hiding it under her pillow. Her father walked in, a large smile on his face. "Papa!"

"We got a new book on music theory in," her father said. His voice was deep, but happy. "I thought you'd like the first crack at it."

"I'll be right down!" Audrey said, completely forgetting about the new earrings in her ears. Her father left the door open a little, and without thinking twice, Audrey rushed down to the bookstore to see the new book.

 

 


	8. The Story, Pt. 2

Sophie listened to everything that Plagg had to say, picking at her dirty fingernails while the little cat-like creature talked. The little creature was lounging in the air, somehow floating even though there was nothing beneath him to hold him up.

"What did you say you were again?" Sophie asked. The little cat bug thing looked at her, its bright green eyes staring at her with curiosity.

"A kwami. I'm like the soul of the miraculous. The part that makes it alive," Plagg explained. "Look, it's complicated. I don't really get it. I just know what I am. I'm Plagg. Yin. But...male. Look, I don't really get it. My whole existance has been inside that ring. Ask Fu."

"Um, okay," Sophie said. She looked at the ring, thinking that Plagg must be some sort of genie in a bottle. The clean white ring seemed out of place on her grimy, street kid hands.

"Don't worry, kid," Plagg said, settling over the ring like it was a chair made only for him. "You'll make a great superhero."

"Superhero?!" Sophie nearly screeched. Plagg's nonexistant eyebrows shot up, and he flew back away from her. His little tail curled between his legs as he soared backwards.

"Ask Fu," he said, dissolving into a wall. Sophie grunted in the general direction that Plagg had disappeared into and went to talk to the little chinese man who had taken her in.

* * *

"Wait, a kwami? What's that?" Audrey asked, curiosity swelling. The small creature that had appeared when she put on the earrings, who had introduced herself as Tikki, was floating in front of her, smiling.

"That's a creature like me! There are a lot of us! Plagg, the cat miraculous' kwami, Trixx, the fox miraculous' kwami, and Nooroo, to name a few. We're kind of like the souls of the miraculous. We help the miraculous weilders, and become their friends."

"And I have the ladybug miraculous?" Audrey asked. Her door was closed, and it was only when she had come back upstairs with the book on music theory that she had seen the little kwami floating around and exploring her room.

"Yep! You're the newest Ladybug! And I'm your helper!" Tikki said. She was a chipper little thing, and Audrey smiled. "You have the power to create, and your other half, the cat miraculous has the power to destroy."

"The power to create?"

"You'll see. I can't tell you a lot, mostly because I only know about Plagg and I. You need to find the turtle miraculous. He has a team of miraculous users. I'm sure he'd like you and your partner to join."

"The turtle miraculous?" Audrey asked. This was a lot of information, even for the smartest girl in her class. "How do I find them?"

"You'll have to transform into Ladybug. The kwami for the turtle miraculous can sense all of us. I can only sense my partner."

"Partner?"

"Plagg. The cat miraculous and the ladybug miraculous are two halves of a whole. I'm Tikki. Yang. But...female. The origin is twisted by now. But Fu knows the truth," Tikki explained.

"Wait, who is Fu?"

"Sorry. He's the man who weilds the turtle miraculous. I'm sure he's the one who found you. I'll help you find him," Tikki said. "Just say, 'Spots on!'"

"Um, okay," Audrey said, a little hesitant. The little kwami smiled, trying to ease Audrey's nerves. "Spots on?" With a flash of pink light, Audrey became Ladybug, red spandex with black spots covering every inch of her skin except her face. She felt a mask appear, though, which meant her identity must have been covered. In her head, she could feel some semblance of the kwami that she had just been talking to.

Now, the kwami was in her earrings, but she could also feel her. They were almost like one, seperated only by a little bit of space. An address seemed to appear in Audrey's mind, and she pulled herself through the window with a yoyo that had appeared with the costume. Ladybug. Audrey decided she liked the name.

* * *

"Fu? What is this ring that you've given me?" Sophie asked. The little chinese man looked up from the book he was reading. It looked like it was in a language that Sophie didn't understand, definitely not English or French.

"It's a miraculous. Did Plagg not explain?"

"He tried," Sophie said. "But I don't think I'm smart enough to understand it."

"I'm sure that you are," Fu said. "A miraculous is an ancient stone that holds something similar to a soul. A kwami. These kwami give the user of the miraculous the ability to transform into a superhero. Many times, miraculous users work together, especially a ladybug miraculous user and a cat miraculous user. They grant powers."

"What's my power?" Sophie asked. Fu smiled.

"With the word 'cataclysm', you can destroy the first thing you touch. Your power is the power to destroy. On the other hand, your partner will have the power to create."

"Wait, I get a partner?" Sophie asked.

"Yes. The cat miraculous and the ladybug miraculous are two halves of a whole. The weilders of the miraculous are destined to be together."

"Destined to be with this person I don't even know? Seems a lot like bullshit," Sophie said. Fu looked at her with raised eyebrows, and Sophie could tell he was going to say something about her cursing. But Fu chose not to say anything, and she didn't apologize.

"Yes. But that's not important right now. What is important is that there is a team you will join. The ladybug miraculous has been activated. The turtle is my own miraculous. And the fox miraculous, peacock miraculous, and moth miraculous are also in use. The only that is in storage is the bee miraculous. No one fits the kwami at the moment."

"No one...fits?" Sophie asked. This was all terribly confusing, and she still smelled like sweat, much to her dismay.

"A personality of a miraculous bearer and the miraculous' kwami must be compatible for the partnership to work," Fu explained. "You and Plagg are compatible, although it may not seem like it right now."

"Can you just tell me the basics?" Sophie asked. "We can get into more complicated things later."

"Of course. The miraculous gives you powers, like I said. We work as a team, the fox, moth, peacock and I. With the addition of you and Ladybug, we'll help the police of Paris and protect the city."

"How do I transform?"

"You just have to say, 'Claws out.'" Fu looked like he was going to go on, but there was a knock at the door. Fu held up his hand, pausing the conversation, and went to open the door. In the doorway, surrounded by fracturing light, was a girl clad in red spandex. Black spots went through the spandex, and the girl had a smile on her face and in her brown eyes. Sophie was floored. She was sure that she was standing in the room, slack jawed. "Ladybug, it's good for you to come."

"Thank you," the girl said. Ladybug. Sophie couldn't take her eyes off the superhero. Her partner. She was also acutely aware that she was a street rat, dirty and cut up, with ratty hair and torn clothing. And sweaty body odor permeating the air around her. Now she wanted to hide. But that would mean taking her eyes off of Ladybug. "You are Master Fu, I presume."

"Yes," Fu said. Sophie was still staring. Goddamnit.

"Tikki said that there was a team? Something I needed to talk to you about?"

"Ah, yes," Fu said. "Sophie, would you mind disappearing for a while? I need to speak with Ladybug about some things." Sophie did as she was told, feeling rather rejected. When she returned to her room, Plagg was floating on the bed, eating some cheese. It smelled like sweaty socks. Like Jagged's room, back at the old boarding school.

Sophie looked around the room. She had a bed. She had a room. Of her own. Most of her things she had left with Jagged, in case she actually got somewhere to stay. In case she made it on the streets. It would have been harder in New York, where she had lived most of her life, but it was still hard here. Somehow, there was paper in the little desk drawer, and Sophie used some to write a letter to Jagged. Hopefully he was still at the boarding school.

* * *

"A team of heroes?" Audrey asked, her hands on her hips.

"Yes. You, the cat miraculous, and the other miraculous users that are already on the team. It wouldn't be a matter of large battles, only protecting citizens. There isn't much danger of you being hurt, and in general, the powers given to you by your miraculous will fix any damage caused," Fu explained.

"So we won't be hurting anyone?"

"That is exactly right," Fu said. "Only protecting."

"I'm in," Audrey said. "When will I know when I'm needed?"

"Tikki will know. And you will develop intuition for it. Don't worry about it. Just do what you feel is right."

"Okay," Audrey said. She thanked Master Fu for the miraculous and the information, and then headed home, a red streak in the Paris sky. She detransformed and started reading the book on music theory. It was the least she could do, while she processed the other information. Miraculous stones. Superheroes. And she, Audrey Bellerose, was one of them.

* * *

"Sophie," Fu said. She had just finished her letter, and her head snapped up when Fu said her name, already on the defense. "To stay here, you must weild your miraculous. And join the team."

"The team with the girl who is drop dead gorgeous? No way."

"Sophie, you can easily be back on the streets," Fu said. Sophie looked at the letter. It would have been the first time she would have spoken to Jagged since she had run away, and she had asked him to mail her things to Fu's address. Sophie bit her lip.

"Fine. I'll join your hero team."

"Good. I'm glad," Fu said. "The bathroom is two doors down from this room, on the left. Everything you need should already be there." Fu smiled kindly and stepped back, meditating or reading or something.

If Sophie didn't know better, she would have been sure that Master Fu had been expecting her. But she did know better, and she knew that he had been. Well, now that she was a hero, she might as well look the part. Sophie found the bathroom and took a long, hot shower, washing all the street grime away. Now she at least looked like a human. And once again, she was Sophie Delacroix, rebel and runaway.

 

 

 


	9. The Story, Pt. 3

Audrey had been Ladybug for a few months now, and the only problem was the new girl living with Master Fu. They had first technically met while she was Ladybug, and the girl couldn't even pick her jaw off the floor. But now that the girl was going to her school, she hated Audrey with a passion. Audrey could swear that the girl had once slept in the alleyway behind her bookstore, and Audrey was pretty sure she had even given her food.

None of this was good enough for the girl. She was cynical, and she seemed to hate everything around her. But most of all, at the top of her list of hatred, was Audrey. And Audrey didn't have a clue why. Sophie was seated behind her, in the seating chart, which was probably the worst place to put her.

Every time Audrey answered a question correctly or got a top score on a class test, the girl behind her would mutter something sarcastic and rude. Audrey didn't understand it.

"Class, what can you tell me about the five-four time signature?" The music teacher was trying to teach them about something other than common time, which was something that Audrey loved learning about. Audrey raised her hand, and of course, the teacher called on her.

"Five-four time signature is also called quintuple meter. It's a time signature where there are five beats in a measure. It was commonly used in ancient Greek music, since both poetry and music can be tied to a quintuple meter."

"Very good, Audrey," the teacher said. Audrey smiled, proud of herself for knowing something extra.

"Show off," the girl behind her mumbled. Sophie was her name. Even though she was generally a nice person, Audrey wanted to strangle the girl. Class was dismissed, and Audrey turned back to Sophie.

"What is your problem?" Audrey asked, her voice rising almost immediately.

"My problem? Maybe it's the fact that you know everything and have to shove it in all of our faces all of the damned time!" Sophie answered. She dressed like a punk kid, all black nail polish and dark eye makeup. She and her American accent, and dark blonde hair, and anger. Audrey couldn't handle it. Sophie was literally the embodiment of everything she didn't want to be. She listened to American rock music. It wasn't even good music. Audrey had heard it.

"I don't know everything!" Audrey shot back.

"Yeah, you just know more than the average student, and have to show off like it's your job."

"It's my job to learn," Audrey said. "That's why I come to school. You only come for the credits and the fact that Master Fu won't let you stay with him if you aren't coming to school." Why he picked the school Audrey went to to send Sophie to, Audrey could only guess. Sophie wasn't that into music. But yet, they were stuck into the same classes. Sure, they learned basic things to, but during music classes, Sophie just kicked back and zoned out.

"How do you even know Fu?" Sophie asked. "Actually, I don't even care. Just pull your little goody goody shit and leave me out of it, okay?" Sophie got up and stormed out of the classroom, combat boots echoing. Audrey rolled her eyes, heading to her violin lesson a lot quieter than Sophie had headed home.

* * *

Of course, there was a problem that needed heroic intervention. Of course. This was the one time that Sophie was too angry to actually be helpful, and this was when they were needed. Time to go meet Fu, Enzo, Florence, and Gabriel. Fight crime! And see Ladybug.

The girl. Ladybug. With the dark hair that reminded her of Audrey's, or maybe it was the other way around. God, Audrey would be cute if she didn't have such a large stick up her ass, Sophie thought. Whatever.

"Plagg! Claws out," Sophie said bitterly. Plagg was about to shoot something witty back, but he was sucked inside the ring, instead turning Sophie into Chat Noir, the black cat. Her leather suit fitted her perfectly, and the belt tail was the perfect touch. Sophie had specified long ago to Plagg that the bell had to go. Thankfully, he had listened.

Sophie used the baton and sped through Paris, watching for the colorful streaks that meant heroes were nearby. Purple for Gabriel, blue for Florence, green for Fu, orange for Enzo. Red for Ladybug. The one hero who Sophie didn't know. When she saw them, she landed with them, still thinking of her partner.

It was obvious that Ladybug was the love of Sophie's life. Whether Ladybug believed it or not, Sophie was sure of it. There was something about her that just pulled Sophie closer and closer. Ladybug had to feel it, too. But Sophie also knew that it was better that Ladybug didn't know who she was, under the black mask. Sophie was disappointing, a street rat who was just staying with someone. She had run away from home, lost her mother. No one wanted that, much less a wonderful girl like Ladybug.

"Paon! Over here!" Gabriel shouted. Florence flew towards him, landing down next to him and helping him with the fight. Sophie heard another pair of feet land behind her. Immediately, the skin on the back of her neck stood up. Ladybug.

"Malin! We could use your help!" Florence yelled. The fox user, Enzo, and Gabriel, the moth user, were both in love with Florence. It was desperately obvious, even to Sophie, who had no experience in the matter.

"Tortue! What are we dealing with?" Ladybug called, completely ignoring Sophie. Of course. Enzo, Gabriel, and Florence were a few years older than Sophie and Ladybug were - both of them were about sixteen, while the other three, excluding Fu, were nearly twenty. Fu explained while the others fought. Sophie simply stood in the middle of it all, oblivious. She was watching Ladybug. This was how it usually went, too.

"Chat Noir, I swear to God," Enzo called. "Fight!"

"Come on, chaton," Ladybug said, grabbing Sophie's wrist and pulling her into the fight. Once by Ladybug's side, Sophie fought like nobody's business. They finally finished the fight, and as they all headed back to Fu's place, Ladybug hung back with Sophie. "Chaton, why don't you want to know who I am?"

"It's more like the other way around," Sophie answered. "I'd love to know who you are, my lady. But I don't think you'd like me very much if you knew who I was."

"Well, okay," Ladybug said. "If you ever change your mind, just let me know."

* * *

Audrey hated the after parties of a victory. It was mostly a get together, where the rest of them detransformed, and she and Chat Noir stayed in uniform. Audrey desperately wanted to know who was under the black mask. She was in love with the girl under there, which is something she never thought she'd say, but it was true.

Enzo, Gabriel, and Florence were all detransformed and sitting on the couch, chatting like the twenty year olds that they were. Master Fu was making tea for all of them, and Audrey was sitting awkwardly in the corner. It was obvious that both Enzo and Gabriel were in love with Florence, which was clearly fine by her.

Audrey's eyes flicked away as Enzo got up to use the restroom. As soon as he was out of the room, Gabriel turned to Florence and stood from the couch, dropping onto one knee.

"Florence, you know that I love you," Gabriel started. "And I want to spend the rest of my life with you. As my wife. I want to be yours with everything that I am. Will you marry me?"

"Yes!" Florence exclaimed. Enzo walked back into the room as they kissed, sealing the engagement. Enzo had fiery orange hair, which only made his anger at the situation seem comical. He fumed in the corner as the two announced their engagement to Fu, and Audrey was sure that Enzo would throw a punch or two. Amazingly, he held back.

Audrey was smiling when she went home. Gabriel and Florence were quite the couple, and Sophie knew that they would be good for each other, even despite Enzo's anger at the proposal. She still wished that Chat Noir would tell her who she was, but it was beside the point. If Gabriel and Florence could make it, so could she and Chat Noir.

It would just take some time and work.

 

 


	10. The Story, Pt. 4

Sophie had been Chat Noir for almost four years now, and she still loved the freedom that the miraculous gave her. Since she had gotten the miraculous, her father had died, and she and the girl Audrey in her class had become friends. A few months ago, Gabriel and Florence had given up their miraculous. Florence was pregnant with their first child, and her career as a model for Gabriel's fashion company was starting up.

Audrey and Sophie occasionally studied together, and Fu had finally decided to let Sophie transfer to a school that taught mechanics. Now, Sophie was learning about motorcycles and cars and the way that they were put together. It was fascinating. Audrey still went to the fancy music school, and Sophie would be damned if she didn't think Audrey would make it big.

Jagged had been writing to Sophie constantly, setting up his music career in England. So far he wasn't getting much traction, mostly because he was intense and rebellious. Just like Sophie. Through his letters, Jagged had confessed that he had been in love with Sophie when she was at boarding school, but he knew that he could never have her. Especially now that Sophie's heart belonged to this masked hero girl.

"Sophie! Something has gone terribly wrong!" Fu shouted. Enzo had been visiting, which generally meant that Sophie stayed in her room and kept quiet until he left. Ever since Gabriel and Florence had been married, Enzo had been angry and irritated. He was in love with Florence, that was obvious. But he never got over her, not even after the news of her pregnancy spread.

"Fu? What is it?" Sophie asked, rushing out of her room. Fu didn't seem to be hurt, but the record player that hid the miraculous was broken, and some were missing. Specifically, the two that Gabriel and Florence had returned only a few months ago. The hawk and the peacock. And, Sophie noticed, the bee.

"Enzo. Something has turned him dark. Anger." Fu looked shaken, but otherwise okay. "I need to tell Ladybug. We need to stop him, before something happens."

"Before what happens?" Sophie asked.

"I'm not sure. Enzo is unpredictable, but if we can just subdue him, get the miraculous back, then maybe we can talk some sense into him," Fu said. "Hide the miraculous. I will return with Ladybug. Transform. Defend the house."

"What if he returns for more?" Sophie asked, fear suddenly in her voice. This was unusual. Fu was usually very zen, very chill. Now, he was really freaking her out.

"Fight him," Fu said, walking out the front door.

* * *

"Master Fu? What are you doing here?" Audrey asked. Her parents were out on a date, and she was manning the book shop. Which really meant she was at the counter, reading yet another book about music, and pretending to pay attention to the few straggling customers that were drifting through the store.

"We have a situation," Master Fu said. "Enzo has stolen some of the miraculous." Master Fu was speaking in a hushed voice, even though the store was mostly empty.

"Which ones?" Audrey was suddenly on high alert. Enzo had always seemed a little dangerous to her, especially after the proposal and eventual family of the Agrestes. He was a jealous soul, and now he was unpredictable.

"The moth, the peacock, and the bee. He now has four of the seven miraculous," Master Fu answered. "We aren't sure what he's planning on doing. But be on call. Okay?"

"Okay. Of course," Audrey said. "Am I to come now? Do you need me now?"

"It would be nice, but not necessary. Just be on alert. And if my adoptive daughter, Sophie, comes and tells you to come, do not question it. Just come. She knows of the miraculous," Master Fu said. Audrey decided that now was not the time to question things.

"Okay," Audrey said. Master Fu left in a rush, and Audrey noticed that her hands were shaking. She zipped upstairs, bringing down her violin. She had practiced a lot that day, but it was the only thing that calmed her. So she pulled her violin out and played softly while customers shopped. This was all she could do.

Play and wait for Chat Noir or Sophie to come and tell her what was happening. Play and wait for Enzo to burst in and demand her earrings. Play and wait for her parents or Master Fu to return, or to hear about the murder of Gabriel Agreste. She was sure that Enzo had some plan, but she wasn't sure what it was.

Part of Audrey wanted to find out. She wanted to help, wanted to know what was going on. But she didn't dare, not without Chat and Master Fu. They were the other protection. They were the other heroes. So Audrey played her violin and waited.

* * *

Sophie was pacing. It was almost a month since the stealing of the miraculous, and still, nothing had happened. Nothing was happening. Enzo had fallen off the face of the earth, both as a miraculous user and as a person. Both she and Ladybug had noticed. The two still didn't know who the other was, and even though it was almost killing Sophie, she let it be.

After all, she was the one who Ladybug would be disappointed in. Sophie knew that Ladybug would immediately forget her as soon as she saw it was Sophie. At least Audrey was somewhat of an option, even though she seemed to have eyes for someone else. Split love. Splitting minds and the complications with Enzo.

Years ago, Sophie could have described herself as a street rat and nothing else. Now, she was so much more complicated than that. A miraculous weilder, a hero of Paris, a motorcyclist. She had met a group of bikers, a group of motorcyclists in Paris. Most of them were Americans who had come to Europe for one reason or another. Sophie had loved them all at once, and they had adopted her into the group, despite the fact that she was young and female.

The boys were constantly trying to set her up with some girl or another, but Sophie always laughed and pushed it aside. It was easier that way, easier than telling them that they were wrong. She already had someone. Ladybug just didn't know her feelings yet. Neither did Audrey, for that matter.

"Sophie, it's happening," Fu said, breaking Sophie out of her pacing fueled reverie. "Transform and come fight!"

"Plagg!" Sophie called. The little kwami, her best friend through all of this, was immediately at her side, jokingly grumbling about cheese. "Claws out!"

Ladybug was already at the scene of the crime when Sophie and Fu arrived. She seemed to be trapped in a trance, because there in front of her was Enzo, weilding all of the miraculous at once. His costume was orange and blue, striped and purple and yellow and every shade in between. He looked like a unicorn threw up all over him.

"Well if it isn't Chat Noir," Enzo said mockingly. "You know, I never did understand your whole yin and yang thing with this girl." Enzo motioned to Ladybug, who was still frozen.

The fox was the master of illusion. The bee was a weapon. The peacock was also a weapon, but a weapon of beauty. And the hawk miraculous could create soliders. This was not good. This was not good at all. Enzo wouldn't have complete power, not like if he had the ladybug and cat miraculous, but it was close. He was powerful.

"Really, I think we all ought to find out who she really is. The hero of Paris! Under the mask, who is she?" Enzo stepped in front of Ladybug, caressing her frozen face with a peacock feather. "Take off those pretty earrings, girl. Show us who you really are!"

As if hypnotized, Ladybug started to pull out her earrings. Enzo smiled evilly, the light of the glowing stones casting his eyes a violet, yet amber color. Sophie clenched her jaw and stepped forward.

"You want a miraculous? Take mine," she said, anger seeping through every inch of her voice.

"Gladly, darling," Enzo said. "But first, I have to do something to the lovely Ladybug." With one swift movement, Enzo drew the bee's weapon, a sharp dagger. It was black, looking like a bee's stinger. As Sophie watched in horror, he thrust it into Ladybug's back, severing her spinal cord. Sophie had taken anatomy, and she knew that a blow there would mean Ladybug would never walk again.

"Ladybug!" Sophie screamed, her voice raw with emotion. Broken from the trance, Ladybug looked at Sophie as she fell. Her miraculous were out of her ears, in her hand. They fell against the concrete as she collapsed, her transformation fading. Audrey. Ladybug was Audrey. Sophie could feel herself tear apart, and she turned to Enzo, seeing only red. "You! You did this!"

Every fiber in Sophie's being went into the fight. She hated Enzo. She hated him with everything she was. One at a time, she and Fu picked the miraculous off of Enzo until he was nothing but a man. The police were watching. The police saw everything. But once the miraculous were gone, back safely with Fu, Sophie couldn't stop.

"You ruined her! You asshole! You ruined her! Everything she was! Everything she could be! I loved her and you ruined her! I hate you! I hate you! I hate you!" Sophie screamed as she hit and kicked Enzo.

Policemen were pulling Sophie off of Enzo, yet she was still screaming. They pulled her away, arresting Enzo, and set Sophie on the ground. The last thing she saw before police blocked her view was Audrey. Ladybug. The girl she loved. Bleeding out on the street.

* * *

 _I loved her and you ruined her!_ Through the pain, that was what Audrey heard. Over and over again. All she could feel was pain. Her legs were numb, though, and something told her that Chat Noir had been right. Pain was becoming Audrey's oxygen, and she could see her parents and Sophie in the room. Sophie, without the white ring she usually wore. Sophie, with concern in her green eyes.

"I can't feel my legs," Audrey whimpered. "I can't feel my legs!"

Audrey's parents went to go get the doctor, so that they could explain what had happened, and through her terror, Audrey felt Sophie take her hand.

"It'll be okay, my lady," Sophie said quietly. "I'm right here."

"My lady?" Audrey asked. "Chat?"

"Yeah," Sophie said. "And you're Ladybug. Look, I'll keep explanations short. Enzo had a lot of miraculous. He had you in a trance. He stabbed you. Fu and I fought him. We won, but he got away with the moth miraculous. But he went to jail. Fu and I are fine."

"Does everyone know?"

"That you're Ladybug?" Audrey nodded. "Yeah. Fu took your miraculous back. I gave mine up."

"Why? Why would you do that, chaton?" Audrey was having trouble connecting Sophie and Chat Noir, probably just because of the pain, but it was seeming impossible.

"To stay with you. There will never be another Ladybug for me. I love you, Audrey. I have since the moment I saw you in that red suit."

"Sophie," Audrey breathed. It hurt. It hurt badly. "Sophie, I can't feel my legs. What if I never walk again?"

"Then we'll get a house where a wheelchair can fit," Sophie answered. "We'll figure it out. Okay?"

"Okay," Audrey said. "I love you. Sophie, I love you." For years, Audrey had been pining over Sophie, pining over Chat Noir, praying they were the same but knowing that some day she would have to choose. There was no choice. There was no second option. Just Sophie, her black cat.

"I love you too," Sophie said quietly. "Rest, my lady, rest." Sophie stroked Audrey's hair, her calloused hands gentle even though they usually worked with machines. Audrey closed her eyes, falling back into a half sleep.

It was over. They won. But at what cost? The cost of Audrey's legs? The cost of two miraculous holders? The cost of Paris? Enzo could do anything with the moth miraculous. Enzo could be powerful, if his anger burned for long enough. Audrey knew that. Audrey knew that, and even through her sleep and pain, she was afraid.

* * *

It was many years later when Sophie heard the news about Florence. Quietly, she had been keeping tabs on all the past miraculous holders. Audrey didn't know that she did this, even though they lived together and owned a little car repair shop together, that mostly dealt with motorcycles.

**Florence Agreste Found Dead In Home, Leaving Behind Husband and Child.**

"He's coming back," Sophie said quietly, to herself, when she read the news. Audrey wheeled in the room just in time to hear her say it. They had been living together ever since their gap years, been dating ever since their reveal, and were madly in love. But Sophie knew how Audrey worried, and she didn't dare worry her more.

"Who's coming back?" Audrey asked, curiosity in her dainty voice. Sophie clicked out of the webpage, turning around in her chair and pushing herself closer to Audrey. Sophie kissed Audrey's cheek and grinned.

"Nobody, my lady. Jagged sent me an email saying he'd be in town. I thought we could have him for dinner," Sophie said. Audrey smiled.

"It's always nice to have Jaques over," Audrey said. Sophie laughed.

"I'm glad," she said. Sophie walked out of the room, into the garage, and turned up her American punk as loud as it would go. She worked on her bike, holding back a scream. Paris was going to need some heroes. Because Florence was dead, and Sophie knew that her death could only mean one thing.

Enzo Dufor was back in town, and he was there to turn everything upside down.

 


	11. Never Again

"So this Enzo guy is Hawkmoth?" Marinette asked, curiosity staining her voice. She could feel her spine tingling, and she was trying to hide her fear that history would repeat itself.

"That would be the assumption," Sophie said. Audrey nodded. "Look, he's dangerous. I'm glad he's been hiding away ever since Florence died. If you two were fighting him one on one, it would have been so much worse."

Chat Noir, the current Chat Noir, looked like he wanted to say something, but Mari could tell that he was holding back. She was scared, afraid that something like what had happened with Audrey, would happen. The miraculous were supposed to protect them, but because of Enzo, because of Hawkmoth, she had been hurt. Damaged.

"Just because it happened to us doesn't mean it will happen to you two," Audrey said. It was like she was reading Marinette's mind. Marinette swallowed, trying to calm her fears.

"You said that the cat miraculous and ladybug miraculous are made for each other?" Chat Noir asked. He seemed to be just as afraid as Mari was, but for a different reason.

"Fu knows more about it than we do," Sophie said. "You'll have to ask him when he comes to train you. But yes. The cat miraculous and the ladybug miraculous are two halves of a whole. Even the kwamis are made for each other. Plagg and Tikki have more of a history than just the stones the two of you bear."

"But that's Fu's story to tell, with the help of the kwami. Not ours," Audrey said. "I know this must be a lot of information to process. You two may go home."

Marinette was gone before Audrey and Sophie could even say goodbye. She didn't even awknowledge Chat as she left. Her yoyo made a zipping sound as she threw it through the air, and Mari focused on that as opposed to the fear running thick through her veins. She could end up in a wheelchair. She could end up dead. Or her partner could. They could die protecting Paris.

She was only eighteen. She wasn't even out of school. She hadn't even hit her gap year. Audrey and Sophie had only been a little older when Audrey had almost died. What if it happened again? This was all just one big plotline, one big story with Enzo Dufor as the main villain. Of course, Mari was stuck in the middle.

The moment she was in her bedroom, Marinette detransformed and sat on her bed, watching her hands shake. She could die. Whoever he was under the mask, Chat Noir was a person, and he could die, too. Marinette wanted to be a good superhero. She wanted to save her city. But with the threat of major injury or death looming over them, was it what she was really ready for?

* * *

"I have to know who she is," Adrien said. He had gone home, too, his hands shaking with the thought that Ladybug could die on his watch. Or be ruined. "I have to protect her."

"Look, kid, it doesn't really work that way," Plagg said.

"What do you mean it doesn't work that way? If Ladybug dies, it's on me! It's on my watch!"

"No, it's on Hawkmoth's watch. Not yours." Adrien glared at the kwami, who shrugged.

"What do you want me to do, kid? Reveal the owner of the miraculous to you?"

"Yes!" Adrien said, exasperated. "That would be very helpful, thank you, Plagg!" Adrien was being sarcastic, and Plagg rolled his eyes, flying off to get some cheese.

"I can't help you, kid," Plagg said. "I know where Tikki is. But that's it. And if Ladybug doesn't want you to know who she is, then I can't technically give you that information. And Tikki can't tell Ladybug. Make sense?"

"No," Adrien said. "Tikki?"

"The ladybug kwami," Plagg said. "Look, kid, just ride it out."

Plagg went away to eat his cheese and do whatever he did when he wasn't around Adrien, and Adrien went into the large bathroom in his even larger room. The house had been empty, like always, so he wasn't surprised. There was a time, back when his mom had been alive, that the house had felt full of life. But now, things were empty and quiet.

Hawkmoth existed because of his parents. The threat to Paris was because his parents had fallen in love, and because they had had him. Of course, he couldn't prove it at all, but he knew that it was true. Adrien stared at himself in the mirror, wishing he could disappear. If he wasn't around, bringing his bad luck with him, Ladybug wouldn't be in danger so much. So many times he had been cursed by akumas, fought against his partner, nearly killed her.

Adrien's phone buzzed, but he ignored it. It was probably just Nino with new music, or maybe Sophie, telling him something. Adrien tore his eyes away from the mirror and headed back into his room, sinking to the floor by his bed. They could die. If he didn't protect her, Ladybug could die, and even more of this mess would have been caused by him.

Plagg curled up on Adrien's foot, looking up at him with his little green eyes. Without a word, Plagg snuggled closer, like a cat. The two stayed like that for what felt like hours, but was probably only a few minutes.

"I know, kid. I want to protect her, too," Plagg said after a while. Adrien looked down at him. They were talking about different people, but Adrien knew exactly what Plagg meant.

"We will."

"Even if it kills us," Plagg agreed. After all, what was his life compared to Ladybug's? Adrien thought for a moment before realizing the answer. Nothing.

* * *

"What if I'm killed? What if Chat is killed? I couldn't stand to have him killed," Marinette said. Tikki was trying to calm her, but it wasn't working very well.

"He won't be," Tikki said. "And if he is, well, it'll have been for a good cause."

"A good cause? I know him! I might not know his name, but it's been three years, Tikki! The boy would do anything to keep me safe! Which is a problem, because if things start to go sideways, he'll die to protect me! That's not okay!"

"In his eyes, it is," Tikki reasoned. Marinette huffed, laying down on her bed and curling up.

"I'm scared, Tikki. What if something happens to me? Worse than Audrey?"

"Then you'll deal with it," Tikki said. "You're very strong, Marinette. You can get through anything, even if you think you can't." Marinette was silent for a while, but she could feel Tikki's eyes on her. She was thinking. Thinking about Chat, thinking about Audrey and Sophie. Thinking about Adrien, and how she would give up everything if it meant he was safe.

Chat must think the same thing about her. Which meant that she needed to put a stop to the whole thing. Because if her partner was hurt or died protecting her, Marinette would never forgive herself.

"He can't know," Marinette said. "Chat Noir can never know who I am."

"Are you sure about that, Marinette?"

"Absolutely," Mari answered. "My name will be a secret I keep until the end."

"The end of what?"

"Everything," Marinette said. "If I die, or if we defeat Hawkmoth, or whatever. My name will be my own until the very end. And Chat Noir can never know."

"Okay," Tikki said, waryness clinging to her bright voice. But Marinette was determined. She wouldn't let her partner kill himself for her. She wouldn't let her partner be a martyr. As long as she was alive, and as long as she was Ladybug, Chat Noir would be safe.

* * *

After a while, Adrien checked his texts. It was from Sophie, which was kind of expected. He read through it, glad that it had nothing to do with being Chat, and nothing to do about Ladybug.

**I found a bike for you. Come work on it whenever.**

Adrien smiled. At least he would have this. This escape, the one thing that was unexpected in his regular life.

**Thanks.**

Adrien promised himself two things as he hit send. One, he would make this motorcycle the coolest motorcycle ever seen. And two, he would protect Ladybug to the very end of time. Even if it killed him. Even if it meant never learning her name, or never finding out who she was, or even if it meant that he would end up a comatose vegetable for the rest of his life.

He would do it. And there was no stopping him.

 

 

 


	12. History Lesson

"So what's been making you so busy lately?" Alya asked. Marinette shrugged. "Girl, we're almost done with school and we barely even hang out any more!"

"Sorry," Marinette said. "I've just been super busy. I can't explain it. But we can hang out Saturday! I'm totally free then!"

"Okay, good," Alya said. "But no backing out this time!"

"I promise," Marinette said. School was almost over, and the teacher had given them the last few minutes of class to socialize. After school, though, Mari had a meeting as Ladybug with Audrey, Sophie, and Master Fu. And Chat Noir would be there. Marinette couldn't stop her hands from shaking.

"You okay, girl?" Alya asked. Marinette looked down at her shaking hands, laughing and sitting on them.

"Yeah! Of course!" The teacher dismissed the class, which Marinette saw as a godsend. "Look, I have to help at the bakery. Gotta go! See you Saturday!" Marinette rushed out of the classroom, taking the stairs as quickly as she could. Ever since she had heard the true story of what had happened to Audrey, the first time Hawkmoth was around, Marinette had been completely on edge.

Maybe she was scared that it would happen to her. Maybe she was scared that it would happen to Chat, or a civilian. Maybe she was afraid of failing, or giving up the miraculous, or some combination of all of them. But either way, her chest was on fire and tight and making it nearly impossible to breathe. All day, she had felt like she was shrinking in on herself, hiding away in her own skin.

"Marinette, wait!" Mari heard a voice behind her, and footsteps, and honestly, she wanted to run. But she stopped, trying not to shake as she turned around to see a smiling Adrien Agreste jogging after her. "Is everything okay?"

"Y-yeah, I'm fine, just busy," Marinette blurted out, way too quickly. Her words were tripping over themselves, and she pulled her textbooks closer to her chest. This was new ground to her, new territory to feel this scared. And it was definitely new for Adrien to care about her, and worry about her. "I should get going."

"Are you sure you're okay? You've seemed off all day," Adrien tried, coming closer. Marinette shied away, her whole body alight with fear and pain. The pain was probably caused by the fear, and the fear was being fed by the pain. What an awful cycle.

"I-I'm fine," Marinette insisted. "I have to go. Bye, Adrien!" Mari rushed off before she could say another word, leaving Adrien watching her. She got home and quickly dumped her things, shouting down to her parents that she was going to Audrey's before transforming and zipping out. Thankfully, her parents thought that Audrey was just a tutor, so they were happy to let her go.

* * *

Adrien headed to the garage after trying to talk to Marinette, like he did every day. Usually without trying to talk to Mari, though. At least she didn't hate him anymore, and had grown a lot calmer around him than she had been at the beginning. But today, she had seemed to go back to the beginning with him - and everyone, for that matter.

"Agreste, I've got some ideas for your bike," Sophie said, putting a hand on Adrien's shoulder. "How do you feel about neon green trim?"

"A black bike with green trim?" Adrien asked. Chat Noir colors. He and Sophie thought quite alike.

"Maybe some silver, too," Sophie added. "Shit, son, transform. LB's probably on her way." Adrien did as he was told, his mask falling in place just as Ladybug's feet landed in the doorway of the garage. "Ladybug! Glad to see your face!" Sophie called. "Or, your mask, I suppose."

"Hi," Ladybug said meekly, keeping her head down as she walked past them and into the apartment. Adrien watched her, worry immediately taking over him for the second time that day. Something was wrong. Something was wrong and was hurting his lady. First Marinette, then Ladybug. What was going on with girls he cared about?

"Jesus, what's wrong with her?" Sophie asked. Adrien glared at her, and she cracked a grin. "I'm kidding, Agreste. Go talk to your girl."

"She's not my girl," Adrien grumbled as he walked away from Sophie. He opened the door to see Ladybug sitting on the couch, hugging a pillow tightly to her chest. Adrien guessed that if it was something solid, she probably would have been causing cracks with how tightly she was hugging it. "Ladybug? You okay?"

Ladybug didn't answer. Which really only worried Adrien more. But he did see her nod, a little, which he knew was a lie.

"Are you scared of what happened to Audrey?" Adrien tried.

"I'm fine, chaton," Ladybug said quickly. Her words stumbled out all at once, like she said them with three voices at the same time. "You don't have to worry about me."

Adrien was going to answer with a fight, with a reason he should be worrying about her, his partner, but before he could, Sophie led a man who must be Master Fu in. Audrey rolled in, too, following closely behind her girlfriend. Master Fu looked like he was maybe eighty, but Adrien's eyes immediately flicked to the bracelet he wore, and the green kwami floating next to him.

"I'm Fu," Master Fu said. Well, that confirmed it. "And this," he said, motioning to the little turtle-like kwami, "is Wayzz."

"Greetings," Wayzz said with a little smile. A little smile for a little face. Adrien thought the little kwami was cute. Actually, he thought all kwami were cute, but he didn't dare tell Plagg that.

"And salutations," Sophie mumbled. When everyone in the room looked at her with a question in their eyes, she rolled her own. " _Heathers,_ 1988\. Learn some culture, guys. Mmm, Winona Ryder. Great eye candy."

* * *

"So, the history of the miraculous," Master Fu said. Marinette squeezed the pillow tighter, trying to breathe through whatever had been going on. A panicked feeling had been snaking through her body all day long, and now that she was with the people who had been through what she was afraid of, it was only getting worse.

Fu sat down on the floor, his legs crossed as though he was going to start meditating. But instead of closing his eyes, he spoke.

"There are seven miraculous. The fox, the bee, the turtle, the peacock, the moth, the cat, and the ladybug. The first five are lesser miraculous, and not as powerful as the cat and ladybug miraculous." Fu took a deep breath, continuing. "I believe Sophie and Audrey told you the most recent history of the miraculous. The history of Sophie, Audrey, Enzo, Florence, Gabriel, and myself."

"Yes," Chat Noir answered. Marinette was glad she wasn't forced to speak, and she could just listen to all of this.

"Good. The cat miraculous and the ladybug miraculous were created at the beginning of time, just like the other miraculous. What makes these two special, though, is that they are two halves of a whole. They complement each other, and work perfectly in tandem. Weilding both would mean absolute power."

"Absolute power?" Chat asked.

"Basically, to weild both the ladybug and cat miraculous, one would become fundamentally a God," Fu explained. "But I'm getting ahead of myself. The cat miraculous is darkness. Not evil, but darkness. Destruction. Yin. Although yin is traditionally seen as feminine, the cat miraculous and its inherant darkness has no gender."

"So I'm darkness? Pure darkness?" Chat asked. Fu laughed.

"No," he said. "In yin and yang, there is a small part that is light in the dark, and a small part that is dark in the light. Your miraculous both rest on the balance of these pieces. The cat miraculous holds the light in the dark. The ladybug miraculous, while light, is rested on the balance of the dark in the light."

"So I'm the bad in the good?" Marinette asked, her voice shaky and high with fear. She could feel Chat Noir's eyes on her, and she swallowed thickly.

"No," Fu said. "Many times, yin and yang are seen as bad and good. But they aren't. They're light and dark. They play in balance, in tandem. Your miraculous both rest on the balance between. Neither of you are light, or dark. You fight on the side of the right, but there have been times when the miraculous have not fought on the side of the right. You are the balance, and that is all."

Fu paused for a moment, letting the information sink in before he continued.

"All miraculous have a soul, or a kwami. Most kwami, like Wayzz, are independant, although they have their own special talents. Wayzz, for instance, can sense when a miraculous is activated and can tell whether the person weilding a miraculous is using it on the side of good."

"I sensed when the moth miraculous was activated," Wayzz explained. "My senses let Master Fu know to choose you two for the miraculous. Although it was his judgement that chose the two of you as opposed to someone else."

"When you first activated your miraculous, my intuition was confirmed by Wayzz," Fu said. "I must tell you about your particular miraculous, though. Your miraculous are special."

"More special than being two halves of a whole?" Chat asked.

"Your miraculous can only be truly weilded by a pair who works completely in harmony," Fu said. "To have full control over your miraculous, as the two of you do, the team must also be two halves of a whole."

"Soulmates?" Marinette choked out.

"No," Fu said. "Soulmates are a figment of imagination and fiction. But to work as harmoniously as the two of you do, or as Sophie and Audrey did, your souls must work completely in tandem. They must complement each other in every respect."

Marinette felt her vision blur. This was worse. This was so much worse. Her soul was a perfect match to Chat Noir's. She could feel it, in every fiber of her being, that it was true, but she didn't want it to be. Mari liked Adrien, Adrien Agreste, the model, the boy who worked at this very garage. She was having trouble breathing.

"Ladybug?" Chat Noir's voice was quiet. Mari couldn't look at him.

"Go," Fu said. Marinette felt arms wrap around her, picking up both her and the pillow, and she felt someone carry her away. She was shaking, shivering, cold and hurting and yet hot at the same time. She couldn't breathe, and she wanted to cry, scream in the pain, let it go. But she couldn't.

* * *

"I can't breathe," Ladybug was whimpering. Adrien looked down at his partner, the girl who looked so much smaller in his arms than he could have ever imagined her being. The black leather of his suit was wrapping around her red spandex, and he wanted so badly to see her full face. "I can't breathe. I don't want to die, I don't want to die."

"You're not going to die," Adrien said gently. He pulled Ladybug closer to his chest, trying to find a place for them to hide. There was a small storage closet in the garage, and Adrien pulled them inside, setting Ladybug on the cold concrete floor gently. She flinched at the change in temperature. "Talk to me, bugaboo. What's wrong?"

"What if we die? What if I get hurt? Or you get hurt? I don't know you, Chat, what if I ruin your whole life by messing up? I almost broke Paris before, and I've caused akumas before, and what if it happens again? What if I end up ruining us?"

"Us?" Adrien asked. Ladybug shook her head. "Ladybug, you've fixed everything you've messed up. It's okay. Everyone makes mistakes. Trust me, I've made plenty. But we aren't going to die."

"Audrey almost did! And that was before Hawkmoth was even Hawkmoth! And I'm sorry, but I can't be your soulmate! I don't believe in soulmates! I don't even know your name!"

"Do you want to?"

"No! I don't want you to know who I am! It'll just make things worse! So, so much worse!"

"But what if it doesn't?"

"But what if it does?" Ladybug looked up at Adrien, her eyes filled with shocking blue panic. "Please, Chat, just let me go. Let me go home, and forget that you want to know who I am. And forget worrying about me, and forget about being more than my partner. Okay?"

Adrien wanted to stop her, but before he got the chance, Ladybug was standing on shaky feet and walking out of the closet and garage, abandoning both the pillow and him. Adrien picked up the pillow and took it back to the apartment, telling the girls and Master Fu that Ladybug hadn't been feeling well and had gone back home to rest.

Wherever home was.

* * *

Marinette couldn't find sleep, and she couldn't even sit or lay still. Her heart was slamming against her ribs, slamming so loudly that it was all she could hear, even over the music she was listening to as she tried to design a dress. Her hands were shaking too badly, though, and every line was coming out in the wrong direction.

Quietly, with about as much determination as a mouse, Marinette went to her little attatched bathroom and pulled down some ibuprofin. Maybe it would help her calm down, help her sleep. She poured a few out in her shaking hand, probably a few more than you were supposed to take. But she didn't care.

Marinette downed them and went to sleep, her heart slowing just enough to bring her a dreamless night. She wasn't ill, wasn't hurting, wasn't anything other than peacefully asleep. It felt wonderful.

 

 

 

 


	13. Calling For Help

Marinette was repeating the cycle over and over and over again. When the fear got too much and she couldn't breathe, it was a couple of pills, usually ibuprofin. Whether or not it worked was anyone's guess, but it made Mari feel better, so she kept a little bottle in her bag. Tikki had tried to talk her out of it, but with an angry glare that was generally only reserved as a joke, the little kwami had kept quiet.

"Class! We're starting something new this week! For the next three months, we'll have rehearsals for a school play!" The teacher was chipper. Very chipper. Marinette had nearly lost count of how many ibuprofin she'd taken that day. Four? Five? She was tired and lightheaded, so she wasn't really listening. "It'll be student led, which means that you'll all get to choose the show and the parts!"

"Girl, are you hearing this?" Alya asked. Nino turned back to talk to Alya, a grin on his face.

"You think we could write our own? I could do the music!" Nino said. He had grown up, got a little hair on his chin, and his jaw had sharpened considerably. Alya and Nino had been off and on since year nine, the same year that Mari had gotten her miraculous. Currently, they were on, but who knew if that would last?

The teacher was still talking, but Marinette zoned out and stared at a single spot on the wall. The pills were starting to wear out, her chest tightening again. Fear was Marinette's normal now, so afraid that she would end up hurt like Audrey had been, or dead. She was afraid of dying, afraid of Chat dying, afraid of her partner knowing her name. She was afraid that she would never get over her hopless crush on Adrien Agreste, afraid that she'd never get a love like Audrey and Sophie's. Now everything was terrifying.

After class was dismissed, Mari stumbled down the stairs. It had been a few days since Chat Noir had rescued her from the panic, but it had only gotten worse since then. And as Marinette got out of the school, it was only worse. Alya and Nino were off on a date, as were Ivan and Mylene, and Rose and Juleka were standing around joking with Kim and Max. Alix was skating away, and no one was paying attention as she sat down on the steps, trying to catch her breath.

"It's okay, it's okay, it's okay," she mumbled to herself. If Mari had something to drink, she could take another pill, make it home, take a breath. Everything would be okay if she could get home, but home seemed so far away when she couldn't breathe. "It's okay, it's okay, it's okay, it's okay."

"Marinette?" A familiar voice was speaking, and Mari could feel someone's warmth behind her. She felt a hand on her back - warm and large, like a boy's. Bigger than her mother's tiny slender hands, bigger than her own hands that were also delicate. "Is everything okay?"

* * *

Adrien couldn't help but notice how off Marinette had been the last few days. She had been nervous, and spacey, and her hands shook. Now, she was sitting on the steps of the school, looking like she couldn't move. As he looked closer, Adrien could tell that something was seriously wrong. He had seen that look before, he had lived through looks like that.

Marinette didn't respond, and Adrien carefully took his fingers and turned her face towards his. Her blue eyes, usually so full of life and joy, were blank and hidden behind a layer of emptiness. Pills. This was what pills did to you. Adrien knew that for a fact. He had been through this, seen it out of his own eyes. There had been times where it was well hidden, and times where it was drastically clear in photographs.

"Mari? Can you talk?"

"Everything's fine, Adrien," Marinette said tightly. She moved to get up, but Adrien could see she was struggling. "I'll be late."

"For?"

"I-I don't know, stuff," Marinette stuttered out. Adrien noticed her shaking hands.

"Marinette, what happened?" Adrien asked. He was worried. So worried, about both Marinette and Ladybug. She hadn't been on patrol the last few days, with no explanation and no notice. Audrey and Sophie hadn't heard anything, either, and Adrien figured that they both knew Ladybug's real name. But he didn't dare ask them, because he knew Ladybug didn't want him to know.

"N-nothing," she said. Mari forced herself to stand, stumbling down the steps. She looked paler, and Adrien raced down, catching her arms and stopping her before something happened.

"What did you take?" he asked, almost forcefully. Marinette looked at him like a deer in the headlights, and Adrien knew that he was being almost terrifyingly serious. But he had to know. "Marinette, answer me. What did you take?"

"I-ibuprofin," Mari said.

"How many?"

"I don't know," Marinette said. She was shivering, and even though the Paris air was chilly, Adrien thought it was more than that.

"Okay, come with me," Adrien said. He pulled Mari towards the car that had come to collect him. The gorilla, his bodyguard, was sitting in the driver's seat. "Delacroix garage, please."

"You're taking me to see Audrey and Sophie?" Mari asked. She knew Adrien worked at the garage, and she knew that Adrien knew that she did homework there sometimes. Adrien nodded, keeping mental tabs on Marinette as the gorilla drove.

"It's more like that's where I'm going, and I'm not letting you out of my sight," Adrien answered. He saw Marinette shrink. "Not in a creepy way. I just know the way these things go, and you need someone's eyes on you until you're back to normal."

"I'm fine," Marinette said.

"You are not fine," Adrien answered. "Just let me do this, okay?" Adrien knew that the pills were making her sick, so he knew that she would comply. The gorilla dropped them off at the garage, and Adrien helped Marinette out. Sophie's loud music was blasting, and Adrien could see Marinette shy away from the noise. "Come on," Adrien helped Mari through the garage quickly, past Sophie, who looked at him with a question.

* * *

"Audrey? Audrey?" Adrien called. Marinette sat down on the couch, shaking and cold. Marinette saw Audrey wheel around the corner, and as soon as she saw Marinette, she rolled back out, calling behind her.

"I'm bringing tea and a blanket," Audrey said. Sophie came into the apartment, going up to Adrien, her eyes shifting to Marinette. Mari guessed that she was trying to be discreet, but Sophie was not good at discreet.

"Agreste, what's going on?" Sophie asked.

"Marinette wasn't feeling well," Adrien answered. Internally, Marinette sighed with relief. She was still shaking, and Audrey came back around with a large red blanket and some tea. Adrien picked it up off of Audrey's lap and wrapped it around Marinette's shoulders. Audrey handed her the tea with a gentle smile.

"How are you feeling?" Audrey asked. Marinette wished she could just take another pill and go home, be done with it.

"Okay," Mari answered.

"Don't lie, kid," Sophie said. "It's not ladylike."

"You're one to talk!" Audrey said with a large smile. Sophie laughed.

"Bite me," she said. "Actually, I think I'd kind of like that."

"Kinky," Adrien commented. Marinette was curling in on herself, pulling her knees up to her chest and hiding in the big red blanket. No one noticed her. Sophie and Audrey were flirting, and Adrien was nearly joining in.

"I mean, I wouldn't mind," Audrey said. Sophie winked.

"Get a room, you two," Adrien said with a laugh.

"We have a room! You're just in it!" Sophie said. "Honestly, Agreste, you come into my garage, my house, and insist I get a room!"

Adrien looked back at Marinette, who was still hiding. She was hidden in the blanket, her hands wrapped around the tea and somehow not spilling it, to everyone's surprise. When she noticed that Adrien was looking at her, Mari hid down further, trying to disappear. Her chest was tight, and here she was, terrified that Adrien would find out that she was Ladybug. Terrified that she would reveal herself. Terrified she would screw everything up.

"Sophie, Audrey, can I talk to you two in the garage?" Adrien asked. Which really only made Marinette feel worse. Whatever they were talking about, they didn't want Marinette to hear. Which was just great.

The three of them left, leaving Marinette shaking on the couch, hiding and holding onto a cup of tea she couldn't even drink.

* * *

"Okay, what the hell is going on with her?" Sophie asked. Adrien made sure the door was closed and that the music was fairly loud, so Mari couldn't hear them.

"Something scared her," Adrien said. "I don't know the full story, I didn't ask. I didn't think it was really my business. But she's on something. Pills."

"She's popping pills?" Audrey asked.

"Excuse my French, but what the fuck?" Sophie asked.

"Honey, you're speaking French. We can't excuse what you're speaking," Audrey said playfully, but with a serious look from Adrien, she stopped trying to lighten the mood.

"She needs a damn talking to! Popping pills, really?"

"To deal with fear," Adrien said. "I've seen it before. I've lived it before, kind of. Popping pills at least. Not the fear. But we can't just force her to stop, and we can't scare her into submission."

"Oh, I'll scare her a lot more than into submission," Sophie said. "How about shitless?"

"No," Adrien said. "But I need your help."

"What can we do?" Audrey asked.

"We all need to keep an eye on her. Our school just started a play, with rehearsals. I know Mari will be in it. I thought maybe you two could come help with it."

"What would that do?" Sophie asked.

"It would help me keep an eye on her, and make it harder for her to accidentally overdose or something."

"Fine," Sophie said. "But only for you, loverboy."

"Loverboy?" Adrien asked. Sophie and Audrey were already back inside, though. At least they had agreed to help Adrien with Mari. She may not have been Ladybug, but she was his friend, and Adrien couldn't stand to see someone else go down what he had gone down with, a few months before he went to school. A few months before he got his miraculous.

And he certainly couldn't lose someone else to suicide.

 

 

 

 


	14. Rehearsal

Rehearsals for the school play started a few days later, and even through the fear of everything that was going on, Marinette was excited. She had stopped taking pills, stopped actively avoiding the panic, and slowly it had subsided just a bit. She could get through a day without freaking out, and akuma attacks were getting easier. Now that she and Chat Noir knew who Hawkmoth was underneath his mask, it was easier to be angry at him.

"Marinette! Are you excited for rehearsal?" Adrien asked, rushing to catch up with her. Since her panic had started to set in, Adrien had been noticing Marinette a lot more than he had before. And while she wasn't necessarily complaining, Mari wondered why.

"Of course! Aren't you glad you got the lead?" Marinette said. It wasn't really surprising, because he was Adrien Agreste, model extraordinaire. Adrien grinned, and for a moment, Mari felt her fear completely disappear. Chat Noir could do almost the same thing, calm her fear during an akuma battle, but it wasn't quite the same as when Adrien's eyes lit up.

“Yeah, but I think you should have gotten the female lead,” Adrien said.

“It was student casting,” Mari answered. “I don’t mind that Chloe won.” Adrien rolled his eyes.

“You still should have gotten the part.”

“If you say so, Mr. Agreste,” Marinette said. _Flirting? Was she flirting with Adrien Agreste?_ “Ah-I should go home before rehearsal. Drop off my jacket, grab my things, you know? I mean, jacket my things and drop my grab? Drop off my things and grab my jacket. In case it’s cold. Bye, Adrien!”

Marinette zipped off, her ears and cheeks turning bright pink from embarrassment. The further she was from Adrien, the more her panic came back. Mari burst into her room, landing on her bed and trying to catch her breath. Her hands were shaking.

 **Alya, I can’t make it to rehearsal.** Marinette hit send, her hands still shaking almost an hour later. Alya’s reply was almost immediate.

**What? You have to come! The whole cast has to be there! Girl, I swear.**

**I just can’t, okay?**

**Fine. I’ll let everyone know.** Marinette knew that Alya was probably disappointed and upset, especially since Mari already cancelled so many plans because of akumas. But Marinette also knew that there was no possible way she could make it to rehearsal. She was just too afraid.

* * *

Adrien looked around at his classmates, his eyes scanning for Marinette's pigtails. But she was nowhere to be found. Sophie and Audrey had showed up, like Adrien had asked, but Mari was nowhere to be found. Audrey rolled up next to him, her dark blue eyes full of curiosity.

"Isn't Marinette in the play?" Audrey asked. "Isn't that why you asked us here? So we could keep an eye on her so she wouldn't be sick anymore?" Adrien fiddled nervously with the edge of the shirt, nodding. "Do you want me to call her?"

"Are you waiting for Mari?" Alya asked, coming up to Adrien. Her large hazel eyes had a hint of anger in them, and before Adrien could even comment, she continued. "She's not coming."

"Why?" Adrien asked, worry coming over him.

"Hell if I know," Alya answered. "She just told me to tell everyone that she isn't coming."

"Oh," Adrien said.

"I'll go get her," Audrey said. She wheeled out of the school, and Adrien watched Sophie follow her. He was worried, but he didn't have Marinette's number. She had seemed okay when they were talking earlier, but maybe he was wrong. Maybe he had read everything wrong. Adrien was pulled out of his own thoughts by Chloe's bright, obnoxious voice.

"Okay, everybody, let's get started!" Chloe said, clapping her hands together daintily. Adrien rolled his eyes. Since he had been going to school, he was much better at social situations, and long ago had learned that Chloe was not the best kid in their school. Especially not compared to Marinette. But because they had been friends at one point, and because he tried to be nice, Adrien tolerated her.

"What about Marinette?" Rose asked. Juleka and Mylene nodded in agreement.

"She's not coming," Alya said loudly. "For once in my entire life, I'm with Chloe. Let's get started."

"Have we even picked a show?" Nino asked, looking around. His eyes were looking over his glasses, which meant he was already disapproving of the whole situation. When no one answered, Nino pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. "Of course we haven't."

* * *

Marinette heard a knock at her door, and she groaned.

"I'm taking that as a 'Come on in!', whether you like it or not," Sophie's voice said, and the trap door opened up, revealing Sophie's blonde hair. "You're moping about on the bed for no good reason. It needs to stop. You have rehearsal to go to."

"You're not good at this," Mari said, rolling over. She heard Sophie come fully inside, closing the hatch behind her.

"Well, Audrey came too, but the only access to your room is using a ladder and stairs, so she's outside the shop." Sophie sat down on the bed, rubbing Marinette's back. "Why are you so scared lately, Ladybug?"

"What if Chat Noir and I end up just like you and Audrey?" Marinette spilled out. Sophie raised an eyebrow.

"What's wrong with Audrey and I?"

"She got hurt. She lost so much. What if the same thing happens to me? Or Chat? I don't even know who he is, I couldn't handle it if the way I found out was him being injured - or God forbid me being injured!"

"You know, Chat Noir has been waiting years to know who you are, Marinette."

"He wouldn't like it. We are fine as Ladybug and Chat Noir and nothing else," Mari said. Sophie huffed a little, like she knew something that Marinette did not know, but Mari didn't want to know what it was.

"Listen to me," Sophie said. She pulled Marinette up so that she was facing her. "You might be scared out of your mind. And yes, it's true, you might be hurt by something that happens. But you could be killed riding in a metro car or paying for your fabrics. Accidents happen. And I know you and Chat Noir will figure it out if one of you is hurt. You're both very smart."

"But what if he doesn't like who I am under the mask? Isn't that such an awful way to find out who your partner is?"

"Yes, it was awful," Sophie said. "My best friend and the girl I loved ended up being the same person, and I only knew that once she had been stabbed in the back. But look at us now! We're in love, we live together, we're happy! And you can be too, I promise. No matter what happens."

"Okay," Marinette sighed. "Okay."

"That's a good girl," Sophie said with a grin. This time, there was nothing wicked or delighted in it. Just a big smile. Sophie hugged her quickly, gruffly, and then let go. "Come on, rehearsal."

"Wait, why are you here to get me to come to rehearsal?" Marinette asked, leading Sophie back down the stairs and out the door.

"We're your new directors," Sophie said. Audrey nodded in agreement.

"We've come to save your show," Audrey added. Marinette shrugged.

"Okay, then."

* * *

"How did no one pick a show? Does anyone even have any suggestions?" Alya asked.

"We could do the Queen musical," Ivan suggested.

"The Queen musical?" Chloe asked, her voice stained with disgust. "Who asked you, Rockface?"

"Can't we all calm down and use some common sense?" Adrien asked.

"Or at least some Google," Nino said.

"I could call my father!" Mylene suggested. "He'd probably have some suggestions!"

"About as many as  _my_ father would," Sabrina said.

"Why did we even bother with this?" Alix asked from the back, blowing bubbles as she lounged in a chair. Nathanel looked like he was drawing the events as they happened. Max was running numbers and talking about how they were running out of time, and honestly, it was all giving Adrien a headache.

"We're back!" Audrey said, rolling inside the room. Sophie and Marinette were following her, talking quietly. Adrien's heart fluttered when he saw Marinette. She looked a little pale, but so much better than she had.

"Sophie, thank God," Adrien said. "You're quite the fan of music, aren't you?"

"I'm glad you noticed, Agreste," Sophie said. "Why?"

"Do you know about any musicals we could perform?"

"Does it matter if they're set in France?" Sophie asked, pulling her phone out of her pocket and scrolling through her music library.

"Not at this point," Nino said. "Who are you?"

"Sophie," Sophie answered. "The lovely woman sitting down is Audrey. We'll be your directors moving forward."

"I'm the director," Nino said. Sophie laughed.

"That's cute. What about _Grease_?" Sophie asked, mostly to Audrey. Audrey nodded, a smile on her face.

"Perfect," she said. Sophie clapped, bringing everyone's attention to her. She was a sight to behold, her dark blonde hair pulled back into a ponytail and her motorcycle jacket open to reveal a green shirt. She looked like a badass, Adrien had to admit. "Okay everyone! We're going to be putting on a production of _Grease_!"

"What even is that?" Chloe asked. Sophie looked at her pointedly.

"It's a musical set in the late 1950s in America. It's a very fun show," Sophie said. "I was in it in high school. Back in Europe. No idea why we did it. It was probably Jagged's idea."

"Jagged...Stone?" Kim asked.

"Yeah," Sophie said off-handedly. "Anyway. There are multiple soundtracks on YouTube and Spotify and the like. Look up the music. Auditions will be tomorrow after school."

"We already cast our show!" Chloe said. "I'm the lead, and so is Adrien!"

"That'll be our choice," Audrey said. "Everyone go home! Listen to the music! We'll see you after school!"

The class shuffled out, leaving Adrien, Marinette, Sophie and Audrey alone in the room. Adrien watched Marinette, who was looking more and more comfortable as time went on. He smiled a little bit, happy that she was feeling better. He hoped Ladybug would be feeling better, too, because he wanted to know who she was, and if she was too afraid, he would never get to see her blue eyes out from underneath the mask.

"What about rights?" Marinette asked Sophie. "Don't you have to buy rights to perform the musical?"

"You do," Audrey commented.

"And I did," Sophie said. "Just now. Online. The scripts will be here in a few days." Sophie grinned. "Now go home and learn your music!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next chapter is being worked on, I swear! My life has been super busy lately, the end of the semester came and new classes started and love life and just...everything. But it will be here within the week, hopefully! I have not forgotten!!!


	15. Meet the Gang

"Sophie, why did you have to pick this musical? We aren't even cast yet, what part am I supposed to learn?" Adrien asked. His hands were stained with grease, but the music from the show was playing while he worked on his nearly completed motorcycle.When he wasn't at school or at modeling gigs, which he was slowly deciding to quit, Adrien was working at the garage, working on his very own motorcycle with Sophie. He seemed to have a natural

When he wasn't at school or at modeling gigs, which he was slowly deciding to quit, Adrien was in the garage, working on his very own motorcycle with Sophie. He seemed to have a natural talent for the mechanical side of everything, and even Sophie seemed to be surprised at how quickly he was picking things up. Adrien wiped the grease from his hands on a rag and looked at the blonde woman for her answer.

"Learn Zuko's part, Agreste," Sophie said. "And keep working on your bike!"

"What, does it have a hot date?" Adrien asked. Sophie rolled her big green eyes.

"Something like that," Sophie said. "I've got a couple friends coming to visit, they've heard a lot about the bike that Chat Noir is going to be using."

"Oh, great, Soph, you've outed me to a bunch of strangers," Adrien said.

"No," Sophie said. "I said Chat Noir, not Adrien Agreste. Never connected the two. And you're just the pretty boy who works for me to escape Daddy's clutches."

"That makes me sound like a wonderful person," Adrien said sarcastically. He had picked it up from Sophie, mostly. A bit from Audrey, but honestly, Sophie was the one that Adrien had attached to the most. She was like the older sister he had never had, a faux mother since his dad died when he was fifteen.

"It's the truth, isn't it?" Adrien scoffed at Sophie's comment. The roar of motorcycles sounded outside the garage, and Sophie hardened a bit. "Claws out, Agreste. They're early."

"Who's early?" Adrien asked, whispering to Plagg. Plagg transformed him, the black leather covering every inch of Adrien's body and the area around his eyes. A few motorcycles made their way into the garage, where the door was open. They parked, pulling off helmets to reveal stone-faced bikers. Adrien had seen similar ones in American movies. These people were almost scary in how hardcore they were.

Comparatively, Sophie looked like a softer version of all of the people. Most of them were male, angry-looking, with beards and tattoos. Adrien felt both uncomfortable and like he belonged. Maybe it was the leather of his suit, or maybe it was the fact that Plagg knew them. Either way, he stood defensively and watched as they poured in.

"Soph!" A man, clearly old enough to be Sophie's father, yelled across the garage at Sophie and let his helmet hang in a precarious balance from the handlebars of his bike. The man was tall and buff, with a sharp gleam in his eye. Adrien could tell he was smart as hell, sharp and strong. The man nearly picked Sophie up when he hugged her, and then he turned to Adrien. "Chat Noir in the flesh? What a goddamned honor."

Adrien nearly lost his balance as the man shook his hand, even though he had been working as a superhero for years. The biker guy was strong. But eventually, he pulled his hand away.

"My name is Tank," the man said with a grin. "Angel, come over and meet Chat Noir!" A woman around Tank's age came over, wrapping her arm around his waist. They were clearly together, and Adrien saw the thick golden band around both of their left ring fingers. Married badass bikers. Wonderful.

"It's nice to meet you," Angel said. Her voice was a little harsh but in a comforting way. Adrien couldn't think of the words to describe it - ragged, almost, and raspy, but warm. A bit like a crackling fireplace, if he was being honest. There was a large noise outside of the garage, and Adrien could hear the ringing of a phone call on his baton.  _Ladybug._

Adrien didn't even answer the call, just jumped over the various bikes and through the door of the garage. An akuma battle was raging outside, the sky turning black with the magic. Of course, there was an akuma attack, right when Adrien was meeting a guy named Tank, of all things. Thankfully, he was already suited up. His eyes scanned the sky for Ladybug, watching for the familiar streak of red, but she was nowhere to be found.

* * *

"I am going to murder him," Marinette muttered to herself. She pulled her yoyo shut and swung after the akuma victim, adrenaline and anger making her fly faster than she normally would. It wasn't like Chat to be late, especially when the akuma was right by the garage. Where he visited Sophie occasionally. Marinette clenched her jaw, trying to figure out who was underneath the dark colors of the latest akuma.

When she spotted a dark figure outside the garage, eyes to the sky, Marinette careened down and landed gracefully next to him.

"You idiot," she said. "Answer your calls."

"I was in a meeting," Chat said. Marinette rolled her eyes.

"Whatever, chaton," Marinette said playfully. She said Chat's grin, and she looked at him with a more serious glint in her eyes. "Come on, we have an akuma victim to save." Chat Noir nodded, and Mari slung her yoyo out, chasing after the akuma. She could feel that Chat wasn't far behind. As they flew across Paris, Marinette turned back a little, asking her partner questions. "So what meeting were you in?"

"Something personal," Chat answered.

"You were already transformed when I tried to call you," Mari said. "So it couldn't have been too personal."

"Sophie just had some people over who wanted to see the bike she and I are working on."

"Isn't Adrien Agreste working on that bike, too?" Marinette asked. It was an innocent question, mostly, because she knew Adrien was working there too. As she glanced back, she saw Chat Noir's face pale, his acrid eyes widening.

"Um, no," Chat said quickly. "Adrien's just a pretty boy working at the shop to escape his Daddy's clutches." Marinette thought Chat Noir looked like he was choking on the words. Marinette quieted as they approached the victim. It was vague anger at the world, a teen a couple years below her in school, who was now clad in skin tight magical spandex.

Now that her partner was at her side, Marinette fought much better. After training with Sophie and Audrey, after learning how to handle themselves better in uniform, their fighting was above average. They could pick up where the other had left off, tag team and defeat the victims and free them fairly quickly. But for some reason, this victim was fighting back rather well.

Marinette noticed the black belt tied around the akuma victim's waist. Of course. Now it was obvious what the spandex suit was based on - a martial arts training uniform. A black belt had gotten akumatized. This was just perfect. A few seconds after she realized what they were dealing with, Mari saw Chat Noir realize the same thing. The black-clad hero swore under his breath, flipping out of the way.

As the heroes fought, slowly losing, Marinette could hear the low grumble of engines circling them. Had the akuma made some friends? Chat Noir was going down, Mari could see it in his eyes. He had been handling most of the hand-to-hand combat as Marinette had soared above, searching for whatever held the cursed butterfly. But alas, it was hidden well on the akuma's person, and Marinette couldn't figure it out for the life of her. Hawkmoth, Enzo, whatever his name was, was getting smarter.

The growl and groan of engines got closer as Chat stumbled backward. His lip was cut and bleeding, and it looked like there was a little swelling peeking out from under his mask, including a splotch of purple. Her partner had definitely taken a beating. Mari swung over the top again, watching as a large group of motorcyclists circled around the fight, their engines grinding to a halt.

The akuma turned to the largest biker. He was wearing a denim vest over a black tank top, his muscular arms exposed to the Paris sunlight. Clearly, he wasn't a miraculous wielder, he looked to rough and ragged. Chat Noir was staggering to the sidelines, and from Mari's perspective, it looked like he knew the woman he was slowly making his way towards. She wasn't familiar to Marinette, but she helped Chat sit on the seat of a bike.

"Who are you?" the akuma asked the large biker. He grinned, looking slightly devilish, and flexed his arms.

"I'm Tank," he said. "But that isn't important. What's important is these bad boys." Marinette's eyes flew to Tank's biceps. One of them had a messy, angry Chat Noir tattoo - like the symbol that was on his ring. The other bicep had an equally fierce Ladybug tattoo on in. Both were buried in tattoo sleeves, but they were clearly there. "This one is Chat Noir, and this one is Ladybug."

* * *

Adrien could feel every inch of his body screaming in pain. Angel had guided him to a motorcycle, which he had sat on gratefully. There would be no explaining all this damage to his father - or to the school. It was caused by physical contact, it wouldn't be disappearing by Ladybug's chant once she had purified the akuma. He was fairly certain that the akuma was in the victim's black belt, but he couldn't fight it off of her if he had tried.

Tank was up talking to the akuma. Dumbass. But Adrien had to give him points for bravery.

"This one is Chat Noir, and this one is Ladybug," Tank was saying. His voice was currently like gravel. "And the heroes of Paris are going to fuck your shit up."

That was the last thing Adrien heard before he blacked out, still sitting on the motorcycle.

 


	16. Aftermath

Marinette was grateful for the motorcycle gang, mostly because they broke a  _lot_ on the akuma victim's person, which released the little butterfly. Mari purified it, which thankfully healed the akuma victim, but didn't do anything for her partner, who was still passed out on the motorcycle. Once the butterfly had flown away, Mari raced to Chat Noir's side. She could definitely see blood and blackening bruises now, even through his mask. He hadn't used his Cataclysm though, so he had all the time in the world. Sadly, her earrings were beeping. She had had to use her Lucky Charm to defeat the akuma, even with the gang's help.

"Get him back to the garage, tell Sophie Delacroix to help him. I need to go," Marinette said to the man who seemed to be the leader of the motorcycle gang. To the akuma, he had introduced himself as Tank, so Marinette had to take that as his name. Mari tapped her earrings, hoping the man would understand. He did understand her, because he scooped up Chat Noir and set off with the rest of his group towards Sophie's garage.

Mari breathed a sigh of relief and zipped off after them, knowing that Audrey would help her stay with Chat even as a civilian. She threw her yoyo and landed in the back of the garage just as her disguise wore off. Tikki landed on Marinette's shoulder, exhausted. Marinette picked her up and gently put her in her purse, before quietly knocking on the door to Audrey and Sophie's apartment. Thankfully, there was a back door, although usually Mari and Chat Noir used the front door.

"Marinette?" Audrey opened the door, looking up at the young girl's face. There was soft, exhausted breathing coming from Mari's purse, which Audrey's sharp ears picked up. She ushered Marinette inside, keeping her in the kitchen while the commotion of the motorcycle gang took over the garage. "The battle didn't seem to go very well."

"The only person who was injured was Chat," Mari answered quietly. Gently, she pulled Tikki out of her bag, and Audrey pulled out some cookies. She broke them into crumbs so that Tikki could eat them easier, which she did slowly. "Can I see him?"

"You'll have to be a civilian," Audrey answered. "The last battle worn Tikki out. She can't transform again so soon." Marinette just nodded. She didn't care that she would have to see him in civilian form - the two of them had worked together before, Chat Noir and herself in civilian form. Marinette just wanted to know that her partner was going to be okay.

* * *

Adrien peeled his eyes open, the fuzzy lights of the garage coming into view. He could see the motorcycle gang around him, Tank and Angel coming into view, fuzzy around the edges as though they were glowing. He groaned, realizing that his whole body ached. Adrien swallowed, tasting blood. There was some quiet American punk playing in the background, not loud like it was usually, but soft.

"Where am I?" Adrien asked, his voice ragged. Sophie came into view then, her hair a little grease-stained. On his skin, Adrien could feel Chat Noir's suit. He was still Chat - not in civilian clothes.  _Had he used his Cataclysm?_ He couldn't hear any beeping, so he guessed that he hadn't. The memory of the battle was kind of a blur - mostly of flying fists and the motorcycle gang showing up, led by Tank.

"You're in the garage," Sophie answered. "The gang brought you here. You got beat up pretty bad, kid."

"I think I can tell," Adrien answered. Sophie nodded, and moved away, taking the gang with her. Adrien was left on the ratty couch in the garage, staring at the grey, concrete ceiling. While the adults were talking, Adrien heard footsteps. They sounded like Ladybug's, but when he turned his head (which caused an ungodly amount of pain), he saw the familiar form of his classmate Marinette. Adrien swallowed again, confused. "Mari?"

"Hi," she said, somewhat softly. "I saw the battle. I thought I'd come see if you were okay."

"I'm just peachy," Adrien said, channelling as much sarcasm as he could muster. Marinette laughed, which sounded like a slightly annoying bell to Adrien's throbbing ears. "Do I look okay?"

"Hot as hell, Chat," Mari answered. Adrien cracked a smile, which he could feel splitting a cut on his lip back open.  _Shit._ Marinette laughed again, a smile breaking and glowing on her face. Through the fuzz of pain, she really was beautiful. Even though he had promised his heart to Ladybug a long time ago, Adrien felt his heart flutter a little bit at her smile. Had he never noticed that his friend was lovely? He knew that she had skill with a pen, could design clothing almost as perfectly as his own father, and yet, he had never noticed how pretty she was.

"Hot as hell?" he asked, feeling a tad euphoric. Before Marinette could answer, Sophie walked back over to the two of them, her combat boots thumping loudly against the concrete of the garage floor. In the background of the picture, Adrien could see the motorcycle gang getting on their bikes and starting to rev them up. Weakly, he waved a gloved hand at them. Adrien smiled a little when he saw the head girl, Angel, wave back.

"You're gonna stay here tonight, kid," Sophie said. "I know how to treat these wounds - you'll be fixed up by tomorrow. I bet the pain meds we stuck in ya are kicking in by now." Adrien giggled, which caused Marinette to giggle, probably at him. "Yep, that's what I needed to know. You rest, I'll wake you up when you need to, okay?"

"Okay," Adrien said. He turned his head towards Marinette, his eyes fluttering as he mentally traced her lips and cheeks and the curve of her chin over and over again. Pretty. Very pretty. Adrien's eyes closed, and he dreamed, about Marinette, about Ladybug, about punk music and motorcyclists and magic.

* * *

Marinette leaned down, brushing Chat's hair off of his forehead. She considered kissing his forehead, but she chose against it. It would put the wrong idea in his idea, would start too many things. She had ... moved on from Adrien. That was a lie. She was waiting for Adrien, even though she was pretending that she had moved on. Her room was no longer covered in pictures of the famous boy, but covered in her own clothing designs and Jagged Stone posters.

"Will he really be okay by tomorrow?" Marinette asked. Sophie nodded.

"We need to call Fu," she said. "Your Lucky Charm should have healed him - it healed everyone else, right?" Marinette nodded, suddenly worried about both Tikki and Chat Noir. "It could be one of three things - something is wrong with Tikki, something is wrong with Plagg, or something is wrong with Chat Noir."

"Plagg?" Marinette asked. It seemed like now she was just asking questions.

"Chat Noir's kwami," Sophie said. "You can either leave Tikki with Audrey, or you can stay. But I need to force Chat Noir to detransform to treat him. He cannot stay transformed forever - it will damage him to stay merged with his miraculous for that long."

"How would it damage him?"

"It wouldn't damage him, I guess, it would just make him more like the miraculous instead of himself. It would make it very obvious to anyone who knows him that he was Chat Noir, even if he was in civilian form." Sophie smiled, a half smile that meant she felt bad, she nearly pitied Marinette. Maybe she looked too worried. She tried to fix her face, to look like she was ready and okay with anything that was to come.

"I'll leave Tikki here," Marinette said. "So Master Fu can help her."

"Okay," Sophie answered. She reached out, taking Marinette's hand gently. Sohpie's hand was warm, slightly rough, but slender. "He's going to be okay, I promise, Marinette. We will help him. I know that you're worried. I understand. But he'll be okay. And you will see him again."

"Okay," Marinette said. As much as she wanted to believe Sophie, she wasn't quite sure that she did. But she wanted to, she wanted to with everything that she was. So Marinette stood, gave Sophie a quick hug, and started the walk home.

* * *

Sophie drummed her fingers against the kitchen table. Plagg and Tikki sat in front of her on the table, both eating their favorite foods. Tikki was eating as usual, but Plagg was merely picking at the stinky cheese that they had bought special. Audrey rolled in through the door, Master Fu following her. He took a look at the kwamis on the table, and without even saying a word, Wayzz flew to his fellow kwamis.

"Hello, girls," Fu said with a gentle smile. "I see our young man is down for the count."

"He got screwed in a battle," Sophie said. "We aren't really sure why."

"I looked at him before I came in," Fu said. "Other than the physical trauma, he's fine. Nothing that would be wrong for him to cause the Lucky Charm to not heal him." Master Fu looked over at the table of kwamis. Audrey was near the stove, putting the kettle on for some tea. Wayzz looked back at his miraculous holder, worry in his small green eyes.

"It's Plagg," Wayzz said. Master Fu nodded, walking to the kitchen cupboards.

"Sorry, Audrey, but I need to borrow some herbs," Master Fu said, his thin hand on Audrey's shoulder. "I will replace them if you wish."

"No need, sir," Audrey said with a smile. "Let me help, will you?"

"Of course, my dear," Master Fu said. He pulled down a mix of herbs and a few spices, setting them on the counter. "A cup of hot water would be most helpful. And a mortar and pestle, if you have it." Audrey got it happily, as the kwamis looked on. Plagg laid on the table, looking exhausted and sickly. Tikki, his other half, stroked his forehead with her small hands.

Master Fu and Audrey worked grinding herbs and spices together, so Sophie stood and walked out to check on Adrien. His wounds were closing a bit, even though it hadn't been very long. It looked like the Lucky Charm was working on him, just very, very slowly. Although his wounds and bruises were looking better, he looked almost as feverish as Plagg had.

"Damn," Sophie muttered. The two of them were already connected - Plagg's illness was affecting Adrien. Or was it vice versa?

 

 


	17. The Truth of It All

"I think you need to be here," Audrey said, her voice tinny through the small cell phone's speaker.

"Why?" Marinette asked, nervous. Chat Noir had looked sick, and she was worried about him. They had been partners for so long, and she had seen him be affected by akumas many times, but he was always back to normal as soon as she used her Lucky Charm.

"You need to know the truth."

"The truth about what?"

"The truth about who Chat Noir is. The truth about the miraculous and what it's doing to you."

At that, Marinette's fear took over. She looked at Tikki, who was flying around the room nervously. When their eyes met, they both seemed to know what needed to happen. Without a word, Marinette transformed, hanging up the phone and leaping out of her window. She soared across the Paris skyline, towards the garage.

* * *

 

"Adrien," Sophie said. Her voice was hushed, but urgent, trying to wake him without scaring him. Adrien peeled his eyes open, which calmed Sophie's heart a bit, but they were bleary and unfocused. "Adrien, can you hear me?"

"Yeah," Adrien mumbled. He barely sounded like himself. Damn it.

"I need you to wake up, okay? Master Fu is here. You and Ladybug need to learn some things about the miraculous."

"I can't," Adrien said, not very coherant.

"Why not?"

"I can't transform. I don't want Ladybug to know who I am."

"You don't have a choice, Adrien. There's something happening to you and Ladybug due to the miraculous. You have to know what it is."

Master Fu came through the door with a mug of something steaming. Sophie felt her shoulders relax, knowing it was something to help. She didn't really understand what Audrey and Fu did, but she knew that it could help. There was a reason that Fu's title was Master.

"You need to drink this," Master Fu said. Adrien forced himself to sit up, taking the mug from Fu. "It should help you feel better. But not right away - you will need lots of rest."

"What's wrong with Plagg?" Adrien asked, taking a drink. He made a face. Sohpie laughed, but when she looked at Fu, she sobered.

"It's...complicated. It's a phenomenon unique to the cat and ladybug miraculous. I will explain more when Ladybug arrives."

There was a knock at the door of the garage door. Sophie stood to open it. Adrien took another drink of the mixture that Master Fu had given him. Sohpie could feel Adrien's eyes on her. His anxiety filled the room. This was the moment that the two of them had been avoiding, even when they met Audrey and herself. She was about to shatter that secret. But for them to know the truth, she had to.

* * *

Adrien could feel the hot liquid heating his throat. It was disgusting. His eyes were glued to the garage door, which Sophie was pulling open. Ladybug was on the other side. He had been in love with her for years, since the day he met her. Long ago, he had given up on finding out who she was. Adrien had resigned himself to unrequited love, never knowing who the girl was behind the mask. The door came open loudly, and on the other side, there she stood, a small red blob on her shoulder.

The mug slipped from Adrien's hand. She was beautiful, and somehow, he had always known that she was, but he hadn't ever been able to see it before. Far away, he could hear the mug shatter against the concrete of the garage floor. Here she was, her face stained with worry, over him. His partner. His best friend. The girl he had been in love with since the moment he saw her.

"Adrien?" she breathed, the worry on her face slipping into her voice.

"Marinette," he answered. And there it was, the moment Adrien had been waiting for since he first laid eyes on her - Marinette. Ladybug. He met her first as Ladybug, but she had always been... both. Somehow, he could see that she had always been both. And he was falling, harder than he ever had before.

* * *

"There are things that you do not know about the miraculous," Fu said, sitting cross-legged on the ground in front of the couch. "For one thing, the cat miraculous and the ladybug miraculous are the only two miraculous that work better when used in a team. They are meant to be in operation together, for there to always been a cat holder and a ladybug holder."

Marinette sat at the end of the couch, on the opposite side to Adrien. She wasn't sure how to feel - when they were younger, she thought she had been in love with Adrien. The crush had slowly faded into something more subtle, but it had never truly gone away. But Chat Noir had always been her partner, her other half on the battlefield. The two seemed so far apart from each other, and yet, she could see the resemblance. The stupid jokes they both shared, the way they acted around Ladybug... Marinette shook herself back to attention, focusing back on Master Fu.

"The cat and the ladybug are made this way for a very specific reason. The original creators of the miraculous, those who gave their essence, were two halves of the same whole."

"Soulmates?" Adrien asked, his voice thin. Marinette's skin crawled, not in a disgusted way, but more of her cells attuning to the sound of his voice.

"In a sense, yes," Fu said. "The myth surrounding the miraculous say that they were created by eternal beings, wanting their virtues preserved in a way that humanity could actually use. The cat and ladybug miraculous were created by two beings that shared a soul - they were the essence of duality, of yin and yang, creation and destruction. It's part of the reason that they are both circular. But more importantly, only those who share the same characteristics can weild the cat and ladybug miraculous."

"The same characteristics?"

"The weilders of the cat and ladybug miraculous must also share a soul." Master Fu paused, letting his words sink in. Marinette was half thrilled, half confused. This whole time, she had been soulmates with Adrien? "But this isn't the part that is the most important."

"There's something more important than that?" Adrien asked. Marinette couldn't read him. He still looked sick, which she used as a silent excuse to avoid him. What would happen if they touched? A spark of chemistry? Something more?

"The kwamis have souls," Fu explained. "Every time you transform, you become more like them, and they, more like you."

Marinette stared at Master Fu with confusion.

"Your transformation allows your soul to fuse with your kwami's soul," Fu clarified. "The longer you weild a miraculous, the more your souls can fuse. And because the miraculous are two halves of a whole, the more the two of you will become halves of each other."

"What does this have to do with me being sick?" Adrien asked.

"The more your souls intertwine, the more you affect each other. Your kwami is ill, so you are ill. Eventually, if the two of you combine your souls, you will also be affected in the same way."

"How do we ... combine our souls?" Marinette asked. She was scared. It sounded almost sexual.

"There are ways," Fu said vaguely, moving on. "The intertwining of the souls is not a problem, but it is something that you need to be aware of in order to ensure that you can still weild the miraculous well."

"Is that all?" Marinette asked. Her hands were shaking. It was all hitting her at once. If she kept being Ladybug, she would end up combining souls with Tikki and eventually Adrien. As a tween, that would have been her dream, but now... Something seemed wrong.

"You may go, Marinette," Master Fu said, noticing her shaking hands. Marinette nodded, leaving quickly the way she came. She could feel Adrien's eyes on her the whole time. She knew they were his.

* * *

"You okay, kid?" Sophie asked, sitting next to Adrien on the worn out couch. They had cleaned up the broken mug, gotten him more of the disgusting tea, and he seemed to be doing better. Adrien looked at Sophie, and she saw her reflection in his bright green eyes.

"What did Fu mean, combine souls?"

"Soulmates are a tricky thing," Sophie said. "I mean, lots of people don't even believe they exist. If they do... I mean, Audrey and I are the closest thing to soulmates I've ever seen. In a lot of mythology, combining souls can be done through ritual or through a marriage bed. It really depends on the myths surrounding the combination."

"But what did  _Fu_ mean?"

"... Are you sure you want to know?" Sophie asked. As 'grown up' as Adrien was, she knew that he had been extremely sheltered, especially since his mother's death. Sophie had been trying to gently bring him out of the shadows, without him realizing it, but now she would be thrusting him into the light of adulthood, the place where only rebellious youth dared to go at his age.

"Yes," Adrien said. Sophie sighed, but gave in.

"You need to have sex with Marinette."

 

 

 


End file.
